


Dragon of Remnant: Volume 3

by MilesLangerman



Category: RWBY, 龍が如く | Ryuu ga Gotoku | Yakuza (Video Games)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - Gangsters, Angst, Crossover, Crossover Pairings, Despair, Drama & Romance, Drug Use, F/F, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychological Trauma, Trauma, Wholesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:48:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 91,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27058246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MilesLangerman/pseuds/MilesLangerman
Summary: Kiryu finds himself struggling to cope with the reality that Salem exists, all the while Blake struggles to rekindle her friendship with Yang as the team moves forward to Argus.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 15





	1. Prologue

Kiryu felt his chest becoming heavy, his body dropping to his knees from the news he just heard.

_"What do you MEAN I can't rejoin the family?!"_

He was angry, frustrated, but overall heartbroken from Kazama telling him not to renew his vows to the Dojima family. After everything he just went through, from running with a bounty on his head, to stopping Shibusawa from killing the Kazama Family. It felt like none of it mattered, as if all his struggles, all the suffering he endured and caused, meant nothing to his father figure.

"Aren't you going to need help with the family?! Please! _Let me rejoin, Kazama!"_

It was pathetic, to be angry and in tears like a child throwing a tantrum. The sight of it bothered the adoptive father. 

"Kiryu, wipe your tears. You're not a child. You're a grown man, now start acting like it."

_"But Kazama-!"_

"I _said_ no!" His voice was raised, startling the younger man who looked up in a slight hint of fear. His throat bobbed, struggling to suppress the emotions that were bottling up inside him. It felt like the cap of a shaken soda can was about to burst, struggling to keep all the liquid inside.

Kazama looked away for a moment, letting out a disappointed sigh. "Kiryu. I know you may think you aren't fit for civilian life... that's why I'm sending you to Beacon."

He heard that correctly, right? Beacon? That famous academy that was in a completely different continent? Kiryu stood up, wiping his eyes from the tears that stained him. "No... no no no Kazama. You don't have to do that!"

"Yes, I do. I already contacted them, and I already prepared an airplane ticket. You'll be leaving tomorrow morning, Kiryu."

Why... why was he sending him off like that? Despite having fought for his life throughout the ordeal of the Empty Lot Incident, this felt more like a defeat than anything. "Kazama... _please... Why are you doing this? WHY ARE YOU ABANDONING-"_

A hard jab connected to his cheek, forcing Kiryu to stumble his feet until he collided against a wall. Kazama never held back his punches, even towards his adoptive children, which added salt to the wound.

"Grow up! You're a goddamn adult! I'm sending you to Beacon because you're going to live a better life there than being stuck with here the yakuza." Panting a bit after venting that small ounce of anger in him, Kazama began to approach Kiryu, placing a hand onto the wounded man's shoulder. "Kiryu. I'm proud you stuck through this, and managed to stop Shibusawa from killing us all, but I'm _not_ going to sit back and watch you live a life unfit for you. You may think being a yakuza is the only path you see in life, but Beacon will offer much more than what we can."

His lips quivered, struggling to keep in his tears. "...but you barely came back... I don't want to leave you."

"I know, but I don't want to see you going through something because of me. You have to cut ties with the yakuza, and move on to serve a better purpose. You'd be more fit as a hunter than a yakuza, Kiryu." 

He couldn't help it, but the tears began to come out of him. Surprisingly enough, Kazama didn't flinch away or hit him. He just hugged Kiryu, letting him cry into his shoulder. Normally he wouldn't allow this, but he knew the younger man had gone through so much hell that he deserved a chance to cry on a father's shoulder.

* * *

"You're _leaving?!"_ Nishiki nearly spat out his drink once he heard his sworn brother announce the news to him and Reina. The air suddenly felt heavy, a contrast to the usual heartwarming peace that Serena had to offer for the trio on their time off.

Reina watched as Kiryu bowed his head, her hands wiping the edge of a glass to set aside. "Kiryu... I... Aren't you happy about this? You seem upset."

"Reina!" Nishiki hissed at the hostess, only to frown as he turned back to Kiryu. "Hey bro... why don't I go and have a talk with Kashiwagi? Maybe he'll-"

"Don't bother." The man raised his drink to his lips, swallowing the alcohol to numb the emotions swarming in his chest. "Kazama already told him the news, and that it was final. Nothing we say or do will change their minds."

Sadness turned to disgust, earning a small fist pounding against the table. "Dammit!... but that's unfair! After everything you been through, and your offer to help his family... it doesn't make any sense! Why doesn't he get it?"

"Its because..." Wiping his face as he sat up, Kiryu gave out a heavy sigh as he spun the whiskey in his glass. "...he thinks if I rejoin, the members in the Dojima family will still come after me, that and he wants me to do something better with my life. As if Beacon is going to be any good for me..."

Reina and Nishiki both gazed at each other, both worried yet confused. "Kiryu... I wanted to ask... but how exactly did you get accepted to Beacon?"

"Huh?" He blinked, having not caught what Reina asked him.

"Actually... yeah bro. How did Kazama get you into Beacon? Isn't that academy like for the most talented students?" A sudden change of thought came to Nishiki, realizing this _might_ be a better opportunity for his sworn brother. 

He had to think for a moment. The alcohol was starting to get to his system. "I... uh... I dunno... he said something about knowing a teacher there... and he helped them when they came to visit Tokyo."

"Holy shit, really?!" A smile came to the brother's face. "I didn't even know Kazama knew people from Beacon! Hey, bro. Listen." Grabbing Kiryu by the shoulder. Nishiki reeled him in closer. Reina also leaned in, smiling as she knew what Nishiki was doing. "You should accept this offer, and go to Beacon."

Kiryu blinked for a moment, looking up to his brother with a confused look on his face. "Huh? But weren't you just telling me-"

"Yeah! Yeah I know, but forget about that. Listen. Beacon, is like the number one school to go to to become a hunter. You used to talk about how cool when we were kids!"

His cheeks began to turn into a slight shade of pink, his face heating up from embarrassment. "Nishiki... we're not kids anymore."

"Yeah but so what?! This is like a dream come true! Hell, I would drop everything and go if Kazama offered it to me instead." A slight chuckle came out of Nishiki, looking up to Reina for affirmation on his statement.

"Kiryu..." In her sweet voice, it naturally caught the man's attention. "I... know it may be tough, having to leave all this behind... but Beacon isn't as bad as what you may think it is. Many people fail to get accepted into the academy. You're... well I hate to say it, but you're luckier than anyone in the world right now to be able to attend without having to do any of the entrance exams. It's basically a one-way ticket into the school."

She had a point, he _was_ the luckiest guy in the world right now, but it didn't feel like he was. "Its not what I want though... I want to stay here, with you guys... and work with Kazama..." Kiryu lifted his glass to his lips, drinking the alcohol once more before setting it back down. He didn't want to leave his friends, his family, nor this city. He was perfectly happy where he was staying, yet he was being forced to leave. In a way, he felt like he was running away.

* * *

"C'mon... man you're heavy..." Pushing the door open to Kiryu's new apartment, Nishiki carried his brother into the hallway, making his way to the small bed that was set up for him. He laid down the drunken man, shifting him onto his side. "Don't lay on your back, bro. You might throw up and choke."

Mumbles that made no sense came out of the drunken Kiryu, who had his eyes shut as he tried to sleep. Nishiki took the chance to look over his closet, opening it to find an empty suitcase on the highest shelf. Quickly he reached for it, unzipping the luggage to start making room for clothes to pack. Nishiki knew this was for the best, and he had to help Kiryu see through it. He took off shirts and slacks off the hangers, folding them to pile them nicely inside the empty luggage.

The sounds of drawers being opened and clothes shuffling began to wake up Kiryu. "...bro... why are you making so much noise..?" He spoke in a sleepy manner, mumbling as he rubbed his eyes. Opening them, he spotted the brother packing his clothes. "Nishiki..?"

Turning his head around, Nishiki felt his body freeze for a second, only to look away and resume packing.

"Nishiki..." Kiryu stood off his bed, frowning as he approached his brother. "Why are you packing my stuff?"

"Because..." Standing up, a smile grew on Nishiki's face, patting Kiryu on the shoulder. "You're going to Beacon." His smile immediately changed to a frown when his arm was swiped away. Kiryu was glaring at him, clearly not happy with what he was doing. "I already told you, I'm _not_ going."

"Oh Kiryu stop being a baby about this! Kazama is going to make you go regardless!"

"Don't call me that, fuck!" He hated being called a child, anything that meant child. It just reminded him of his meeting with Kazama this morning. "I... already told you I don't want to go."

Hearing his words, Nishiki tossed his brother's red shirt towards him. "Yes you are, Kiryu."

"No, I'm _not."_

"Yes you are! Dude come on! This could be-"

_"I SAID NO!"_

Hearing his voice raise like that, it was clear things weren't going to be that easy. Nishiki didn't like to push his best friend into things he didn't enjoy or feel comfortable with, but this was an exception. "Kiryu... I'd kill if it meant I could go to Beacon... you're seriously not thinking this straight! You could go to Beacon and come back as a hunter! Take control of the clan with all that power you could learn!"

"Nishiki... I already told you I _don't_ want to go-"

"And why not?! Huh?! You're seriously being a bitch about this! Get your head out of your ass and think man!"

Pushing Kiryu was a harsh mistake, because that caused the man to retaliate by shoving him back. Nishiki growled as he regained his footing, deciding to tackle Kiryu to the bed. "You're gonna go to Beacon! Stop being a bitch about it!"

"Stop calling me a bitch!" Throwing a fist towards his brother, Kiryu shoved the man off him to the floor. Standing up, he watched as Nishiki crawled back from him, his cheek beginning to bruise from the punch. Oddly enough, that rage in him shifted into regret, watching as his sworn brother was tearing up.

Gazing around the room as tears began to bundle up in his eyes, Nishiki raised his hand, only to drop it in defeat. "You're so lucky man... _you know that? Kazama loves you... and he's letting you go to Beacon for free... I've always wanted to go..."_

It was harsh hearing his brother sob as he sat there next to his open luggage. To hear how he's been wanting to go yet the opportunity landed at Kiryu's footstep instead. There were no words to say, only regret filled his mind. Stepping towards him, Kiryu stuck his hand out towards Nishiki, grabbing the hand that reached back before pulling him up to his feet.

"Come on Kiryu... don't throw this away... Reina and I don't want you to go but we both want what's best for you..." Sniffling as the punch really hurt him, Nishiki was worried the man wouldn't change his mind.

Taking in a heavy breath, Kiryu exhaled as all the frustrations he felt came out of him. His eyes gazed down at the floor, disappointed in himself. "What would I even do in Beacon? I'm just a former gangster... I don't have any skills besides punching people. I've never even seen a Grimm before." He wasn't wrong. Students at Beacon were talented, and they had to have faced those monsters before. Kiryu had none of that. All he could do was solve his problems by punching through it.

Wiping his eyes, Nishiki sniffled the last of his tears before smiling. "Then that's what you'll do."

"What?" Blinking in confusion, Kiryu looked up in hope of a clearer response than that.

"I meant... you'll be punching the students and Grimm there. You're strong bro, don't you see it?"

"I..." While he did appreciate the words, Kiryu still felt doubt resting in his mind. "I don't even have a semblance. Maybe an aura, but not more than that." He looked up, only to feel a light punch against his shoulder. Nishiki kept his smile. "Then that's fine. You'll probably find your semblance at Beacon. Who knows, maybe you'll beat up the biggest bully there and win the heart of some hot chick there, right?" 

A laugh came out of the two, knowing that it was just a tease towards the former gangster. "Still bro." Nishiki leaned down to pick up the new red shirt Kiryu bought a few days ago. "You really should take this offer. No one, and I mean no one, will ever get this opportunity. I'll help you pack and leave for tomorrow, okay?"

He couldn't protest against it. Nishiki had won his favor there. "...Alright. I'll do it."

 _"Really?!"_ The man cried out, a bright smile on his face. As idiotic as it looked, Kiryu couldn't help but to smile at his brother. "Yeah. I'll go to Beacon."

* * *

He wasn't sure how to feel in the car ride to the airport. It was... scary in a way. Not that he was scared of the Grimm or what Beacon had to offer. He just didn't enjoy leaving behind everything he cared for. Nishiki and Kazama were riding along with him, driving down the freeway to the international airport. Upon arriving at a nearby parking spot, Nishiki changed the gears into park before turning towards his best friend. "We're here."

A heavy breath came out Kiryu as he stepped out the vehicle. He opened the door for Kazama, waiting for him to step outside completely before closing it. Nishiki popped open the trunk to pull out the luggage stored inside, which was surprisingly just one suitcase.

"Is that all he packed?" Kazama raised a brow, confused by what this man was bringing with him.

Taking his luggage, Kiryu gave a nod. "Yeah. Just some clothes, and important things I need. I'll buy anything else I might need over there." His response caused the older man to let out a whiff of air from his nose, merely out of amusement. "You never did ask for much... still surprises me how all you've wanted was to join the yakuza."

"Yeah well... I'm not joining them now. I'm heading off to that school, only because Nishiki convinced me." Looking towards his brother, Kiryu grew a smile that said _thanks_ towards him. With a nod, Nishiki approached him. Arms wrapped around Kiryu, hugging him tight. "You stay safe out there, okay bro?"

Returning the hug, Kiryu squeezed his arms as he knew this would be the last time he'd see his best friend in a long time. "...you too, bro." Letting go, Kiryu faced his adoptive father before bowing to him. 

"Lift your head up, Kiryu." His words caught him by surprise, only to shock Kiryu for a moment when Kazama was hugging him. His chest felt warm, knowing he rarely received gestures like this from him. "Thank you, Kazama." 

Once he felt Kazama pulling away from the hug, Kiryu felt stranded. Like this was the first step into being alone, all on his own. It was heartbreaking, maybe terrifying in its own manner only he knew, but he had to hold his head up high. Gazing at both men, Kiryu stood tall. 

"Alright... I'm off now." Turning around, he began to walk through those doors to the airport. He refrained from turning his head back, hearing both Nishiki and Kazama saying their goodbyes, both in hope to see what the man would return home as. They were both saddened to see him go, but knew it was for the best.

* * *

Fate wasn't kind to him, he knew that. Smoke blew out his mouth as he took another drag. Gazing up at the night sky from Haven, Kiryu tried to process what had happened these last few hours. He checked his watch, realizing it was getting close to midnight. The memories of Kazama and Nishiki came back to him, making him wonder where they were. Were they in heaven? Or in hell? Was hell a place for people like Salem? Were they down there, being tormented for all the killings they had done? All these questions... and no answers.

He still couldn't cope with it. From being a former gangster who collected debts to... whatever the fuck he was now. What was he even? A savior to Menagerie? Blake's boyfriend? He didn't know. He felt lost, as if he took a turn he wasn't suppose to and it was one-way. Nishiki always told him he'd be there when he'd cross the _line_... but what was that line? Was it simply murder? Or was it taking down the big bad villain? 

A slight groan came out as he wiggled the cigarette in his hands, only to lift it up to take a drag once more. The familiar warmth and taste of nicotine, it never went away. In a sense, it was the one thing Kiryu didn't lose, and deep down he kind of hated that Blake wanted him to quit smoking. He knew she meant well, but he just got tired of losing things that were always by him.

His eyes gazed at the open courtyard where he previously fought Adam. To think he almost killed the faunus, it was scary in a sense. In some ways, he was curious what it felt like to end a man's life. To have committed murder. Would he have became someone like Nishiki? Someone so innocent and caring to someone who only cared about themselves and rising to the top of the ranks? Someone like Adam, who killed anyone who got in his way? They were scary thoughts, some that Kiryu never shared with anyone but himself.

At least he wasn't alone in that department. Behind him, the doors to the office opened as Majima walked outside. The Mad Dog took his spot besides the Dragon, leaning against the railing. Without words, they knew exactly how the other felt. A simple gesture of taking out a cigarette, lighting it up, and taking a drag was all they had to do to give the message of what they were feeling.

"...Bunch of weird shit... huh?" Majima spoke up, blowing the smoke into the air towards the office. He couldn't agree more. Kiryu looked up from where he fought Adam, having visualized the fight from a 3rd person perspective. "Have you wondered... if fate brought us here?"

Turning towards him, Majima raised a brow. "Fate? What'd you mean?"

"Like... we were going to be here, regardless of what we've done. The people we just fought. We never thought once about fighting them months ago, yet it happened." Kiryu knew fate was something to accept. He always fought back against it, but slowly he felt the desire to accept it as is. Deep down, he wished fate was going to bring him a happy ending. One where he wasn't lying on the ground, blood leaking everywhere as people cried out to him.

Majima thought about it. From having been tortured for a year, to being caged in Sotenbori, to coming to Menagerie, and now having learned that Salem was their biggest enemy. It was pretty fucking wack for him. A slight grin came to his face, knowing how bizarre their situation is. "If fate was a woman, she'd be a bitch. I lost an eyeball, just to see Salem was the real enemy."

"Yeah... we're just former gangsters, now fighting to save the world."

"Tell me about it." Taking another drag, Majima looked up to the sky. "I didn't think I'd be tortured for a year inside some cell, to fighting some big ass guy who stabs himself with dust crystals." 

Kiryu turned to him, realizing he didn't ask about that fight. "Who'd you fight? Ruby and her friends fought some people, but they weren't part of the White Fang, were they?"

"No." Shaking his head, Majima flipped around to lean against the railing with his arms, using the bar to shake off the burnt end of his cigarette. "Those three we fought were... a different faction." 

Blinking in confusion, Kiryu began to grow worried. "You mean... Salem's gang?"

"Yeah. Her minions actually. Salem is just their leader." He felt like shit knowing they weren't some ordinary gang. If anything, it felt like he went from fighting monkeys to a goddamn lion. Kiryu sighed in response, rubbing the back of his head. "And how's everyone else doing?"

Majima whiffed out air through his nose, amused by the question. "Eh well... everyone's happy, 'cept the blonde chick."

"You mean Yang?"

"Yeah. The hotter one. Got some nice melons." Majima chuckled as he gestured with his hands how big her breasts were. It only made Kiryu roll his eyes in response. He listened as Majima scooted closer to him. 

"Hey... she is single, right?"

"Uh... yeah last time I saw her, why?"

"Because I ain't got no one! She got no one... maybe I could sweep in after she moves on from Blakey-Chan."

His eyes blinked, turning his head towards Majima. "What did you just say?" The tone of his voice carried the concern he felt. Majima paused for a moment, gazing at the bewildered man. "Wait... you didn't hear them arguing?"

"Arguing? No, I've been out here the entire time."

"Jeez, Kiryu-Chan..." Rubbing the back of his head, Majima looked up to see the doors being kicked open. Kiryu turned around to see an extremely upset Yang marching towards him, followed by Blake who was pleading for her to stop and listen. "Yang _please!_ Why do you have to do this?!"

Ignoring her former friend's words, Yang approached the Dragon of Dojima, lilac eyes glaring at him. "You have a _lot_ to explain to me, you asshole."

"Excuse me?"

"We need to talk. You and you, leave us alone." Yang gestured of Majima and Blake to leave the balcony, which made the faunus tear up from how she couldn't prevent this from getting worst. "Can't we just stop and talk about it? I swear he didn't mean to-"

Turning around, Yang's eyes glew red as she stared down at the cat. _"Shut up, Blake!"_ It scared the faunus, who obediently silenced herself while choking back a tear. Not wanting to intervene, Majima began to head back inside, pulling Blake with him.

Not sure what was going on, Kiryu turned to Yang, who was angry for reasons he didn't know. "Okay, let's relax and discuss what's going on. What happened?"

"What _happened?!"_ She spat out, only to laugh at him as she twirled on her heel, showing her back towards him before stepping closer. "What happened, was that _you_ didn't tell me that you were with Blake all this time! And you didn't bother to give me or anyone a call!" 

Shit... he didn't realize that maybe they did deserve a call.

"Not only that, but you're _actually_ dating her now? So what, you two were fucking like bunnies behind our backs?"

"Hold on, we didn't have sex, Yang." He blushed a little, but knew it was true.

 _"Oh!_ But you were busy kissing her? I don't buy into your bullshit, Kiryu." Holy hell, she was _mad._ Kiryu took a deep breath, realizing that he was going to have to explain to her the whole story. "Yang, I swear, Blake and I only kissed but that's it. We only went on one date. _Once!"_

She wasn't buying it. "Really? So these past few months you didn't do anything more than just kiss her? _Pfft._ Yeah right... but that's not the only reason why I'm mad." Yang took a step towards him, her fists clenched tight. "During all these months, you _knew_ I was hurt. You knew Blake abandoned us, so why is it that when you found her, you didn't tell the rest of us?"

His eyes looked away for a moment, knowing he was guilty of that. "I had to respect her wishes."

"Wishes? Wishes to what?! To just _leave_ her old teammates behind?"

"Yang you know that's not it-"

"Its been months since I last saw her!"

"I barely met her two months ago." 

"And you still couldn't tell us?!" Yang began to tear up. Her body was shaking, holding back every desire to punch this man over the railing. As bad as he felt, Kiryu knew there was too much to explain. "We were helping the faunus in Menagerie."

She shook her head, choking back her tears. "No... you were just helping yourselves!"

"We were helping... people, Yang. We didn't have _time_ to go on more than one date! We nearly lost innocent lives if we didn't help them!"

"Yet I _lost_ my best friend-"

_"AND I LOST MY FUCKING FAMILY!"_

The raise of his voice cut the air between them. All noises came to a halt, with only the sound of Kiryu's heavy breathing being heard. Yang blinked as she paused there, trying to process what she just heard. She couldn't ask for a repeat of it. It was loud and clear. From seeing this man with an angry look on his face, combed with red eyes prickled with tears, she knew he lost just as much, if not more than her.

"...I-"

Walking past the other, Kiryu made sure to step on the cigarette he dropped earlier. He'd swing the door open as roughly as he could, with all the frustrations that were building up inside him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I hope you've been enjoying this new volume! It was perfect timing too since this has been published on my birthday!
> 
> Anywho, if you want to keep in touch with me, feel free to follow me @MilesLangerman on twitter. Hell, send me memes or tag me in shit, anything is fine by me!


	2. You Don't Have to be Alone

Family. He had lost it all... 

Nishiki.

Yumi.

Even Kazama.

It was the worst realization to ever slap him in the face. It stung more than getting punched, hurt more having a knife stab into him. None of that could compare to the everlasting pain that came with having to accept people he grew up with were no longer breathing on this planet.

Kiryu was staring down at the golden whiskey that filled his glass halfway up inside a small lobby he was in. Courtesy of Qrow, who was sitting besides him. 

"...you're looking pretty young to be drinking this much, you know that?" His rapsy voice broke the silence between him and the former gangster. In a way, the older gentleman felt for the kid. He felt bad, having to watch Kiryu drink away his sorrows.

Placing his cup down after a swallow, an audible sigh came out of him. For some reason, that made his depression worst. To be so young, yet to be drinking his emotions away into alcohol, that was something people who lived long and seen quite a lot in their lives would do. "What would you do, if you had a second chance at life... but fate took that, and your loved ones away? Wouldn't you drink to ease the pain that came with it?"

Qrow's eyes opened wider upon hearing his words. "I guess you have a point... I've seen quite a lot in my life that made me turn to booze. Not that I like it, but it helps." Taking his flask, the older gentleman raised it up in the air towards Kiryu. It made the man blink before realizing what Qrow was doing. It wasn't a gesture of celebration, just acknowledgment that life wasn't getting any better for them. Slowly, Kiryu raised his glass before downing the rest of his drink.

"I gotta ask... where are you from? You don't look to be from around here."

"Kamurocho. Its in Mistral."

"Yeah... you do look rather rugged for someone your age."

Pursing his lips in response, Kiryu shurgged off the comment. "Its what happens when you get into a lot of fights with thugs... and the yakuza." 

That wasn't much of a surprise for Qrow. Despite his appearance and drinking habits, the older gentleman knew a lot about the world. "Not too surprising to hear. At some point you just hear the backstories of everyone that you become numb to hearing some kid growing up in the mafia."

Still, it didn't mean Qrow lacked sympathy for those people. He turned to Kiryu, a question in thought he knew was personal to ask, but curious to know. After a moment of hesitation, he spoke up. "Who'd you lose?"

His eyes looked down at his empty cup, wondering where the rest of his drink had went. "My family. Adoptive father, my best friend, and my childhood crush..."

"Childhood crush? Aren't you with that cat girl though?" Qrow blinked in a bit of confusion. Was there more to this man than meets the eye?"

Kiryu gave a nod, his eyes gazing into nothingness before him. "She was my crush, until I went to Beacon. I thought I was going to be there for quite some time... but in those four days, everything changed for me. It was a completely different world outside. The faunus, the culture, even the Grimm who I never seen or fought before..." In a way, he missed that. He missed waking up to the music of the Vytal Festival, the cheers from winning a match, even his old team he substituted for. 

"...and uh, how'd you meet her?" Qrow's question brought a small smile to Kiryu's face. Surprisingly, it brought sweet memories to him.

"I was looking for Professor Ozpin's office, then Blake showed up to help me. She showed me to my room at Beacon, and she was there for me when I was done fighting. When I awoke my semblance, I went to the nurse's office. She and her friends visited me, but every night we talked, got to know about each others' past. Turns out... we both came from groups we didn't exactly feel cut out for. Then... at the Fall of Beacon, Blake stopped an assassin from killing me. She took me to the docks, but Adam stopped us for a moment. We were both hurt, with him stabbing us. After that... I didn't see her months. She ran, I went back home, and I just suffered alone."

All of that, it felt heavy. Qrow could only look away before giving out a breath of empathy. He took the bottle next to him and began to fill Kiryu's cup, which he raised as a gesture of thanks.

"...What happened in that time?" The older gentleman asked, turning to his flask. 

Kiryu frowned, knowing those were the most painful months of his life. "...Yakuza business. We nearly lost all our money, and well... I lost everyone I cared about in the end, except I had to take care of my former love's daughter."

"A daughter?" Turning to Kiryu, Qrow blinked in surprise. "You... You have a kid?"

"No, I don't." He sighed, realizing Haruka was the last walking memory of Yumi. "She was the daughter of her mother and some politician in Mistral. It hurts knowing Haruka isn't my child... but at least she's safe at a orphanage I grew up in."

Man, talk about opening up. Maybe the alcohol was getting to him, or maybe it was just everything that had happened these past few months that were finally catching up to him. Kiryu couldn't help it, but he turned to Qrow, a sad look on his face. 

"I... I don't know what to say." He could only look away from Kiryu, feeling nothing but guilt. This man, he truly lost nearly everything. It was something Qrow felt too close to home, whenever he thought about Summer, the friends he lost. Despite their age difference, pain didn't discriminate between the two. All he could was pat Kiryu on the shoulder before rubbing it. "I do have some advice though."

Looking up in thought, Kiryu grew curious. Qrow turned to him, a warm look on his face. "Keep everyone here close. They're your new family, they're your second chance."

* * *

All the crying he was hearing, it was starting to get annoying. Majima knew at some point Yang had to stop crying next door, but it had been nearly an hour now. Didn't women take 15 minutes to cry? Either way, it bugged him, and he was going to put a stop to it. Legs lifted off his bed before he left the room Kiryu and him were sharing. Making his way to the next room, the Mad Dog took a chance to breath before pounding at the door.

_"Oi! Open the door!"_

His yell was demanding enough to cut off the crying, but not harsh enough to belittle the blonde. The next few seconds were filled with sounds of Yang stepping off her mattress and dragging her feet to the door before opening it. Yang stood there, clearly bothered by Majima interrupting her peace. "What do you want?"

Seeing upset eyes with tears staining her face, it was a sight Majima never liked. Not because it annoyed him, but because it told him someone was hurt and wasn't being tended to. Raising his hand towards her, the Mad Dog gestured for Yang to approach him.

She tilted her head, dropping her mouth a bit to say _huh?_ as she stood there confused. 

"Come with me. We're going on a walk."

"Why would I want to do that?"

"Would you rather cry in that stuffy room or get some fresh air?"

She couldn't argue against that. Fresh air did seem nice. Slowly closing the door behind her, Yang began to follow Majima. She kept some distance behind him, not sure why he was bringing her out of the dorms.

The next few minutes were spent in silence, just wandering around Haven Academy. Yang continued to follow behind, her arms crossed as she looked at the ground before her. She wasn't happy about Majima dragging her out here without a warning, and now they were walking around aimlessly. It was starting to annoy her. "Dude... where are we going?"

Stopping from her voice breaking the silence between them, Majima gazed at the garden beside them. He took the moment to breathe in deeply before letting out his air. "Felt like walkin'. Didn't want to be out here by myself."

She blinked at his response, only to scoff in annoyance. "You could've asked your buddy to come out here with you."

 _  
"Pfft."_ He nearly laughed in response before leaning back against a railing. "Yeah I could've, but I spend so much time with the man that I need a someone new to be with. Plus, it never hurts to make a new friend." He smiled, only for it to fade when Yang was gazing down at the floor. 

She wasn't happy about this, about everything that just happened. "Friends, right... I'm not in the mood to make friends. I just want to relax and-"

"Cry. Yeah, I get it, but that shit gets old and tiring."

Yang glared up at him, what he said felt like she was being spat on. "And what gives you _any_ right to tell me that, after I had to see my best friend who abandoned me?" Her eyes turned red, expressing the anger she held towards Majima.

The Mad Dog simply gazed over at her, an unamused expression on his face. "...what exactly are you mad about?"

What she was mad about? It actually made Yang blink and pause for a moment. She wasn't even sure where to begin. There was so much to unload... "I... everything I guess? I don't know, but its all just a bunch of fucking bullshit thrown at me." She huffed, leaning her arms against a railing. Her eyes gazed at the flowers by the garden, reminiscence of the flowers her dad used to tend to back at home.

"Then why don't you tell me from the start? I'm an expert listener."

Yang scoffed at him, smiling in a sarcastic manner. "Oh really? You're willing to stand there and listen to some woman you've never met vent to you about her life story?"

"Yes actually." Taking out a cigarette, Majima brought out his lighter to start a fire on the tip before blowing in and out a smoke. In a way, it reinforced his answer. She couldn't but to wonder. The way he stood so casually against the railing, a cigarette in hand as he gazed at the air, it practically told her this man had been dealt with a lot of bad cards in life.

Lilac eyes gazed at the floor, a small look of sadness in them. "What makes you think I can trust you? Just because you smoke, it doesn't make it better."

She had a point, smoking never helped with anything besides coping. In a way, Majima knew it served to help him settle his nerves. "What if I told you you ain't the first woman I helped get through life?" 

"Not the first..? What do you mean-"

"It means what it means, girly. You ain't the first woman with problems and daddy issues I stood by to help. I ran a cabaret club for cryin' out loud!"

This jackass... she nearly had the urge to slap him, but he fortunately didn't say anything referring to her mother. "How about you go first? Maybe then I'll believe what you're saying." Her eyes narrowed at him, something that only amused the Mad Dog.

Scratching the back of his head, Majima pursed his lips in thought. "Where to begin... maybe I can say I was once in the yakuza, just like Kiryu?" That wasn't surprising to the blonde, who pointed to her shoulder. "I can see your tattoo."

"Right... well, guess I can say I was suppose to do a hit with my sworn brother, but got pulled to the side. Ended up being tortured for a year. It explains the eyepatch." Blowing out some smoke, Majima began to wonder how he ended up in his next location. "Yet despite all that... I wanted to be back in the family. The very same people who beat the living shit out of me, day and night."

Now that caught her attention. "Why would you go back to them after they did that to you? Wouldn't you want revenge?"

Revenge. Oh how badly he wanted it, but deep down he knew it wasn't possible. "Guess I did... but I knew I couldn't. It ain't easy when you're in the yakuza. You got higher ups, brainless thugs who'll listen to orders. All of that changes when you're suddenly told to take a hit on some innocent woman."

"An innocent woman?"

"Yeah. Was a blind lady. I held my knife up in the air, and she was just lost. She couldn't see who I was, nor why I was there. Just inches away from being killed without knowin'." He had to stop to take a drag of his cigarette. "I spent the next few days basically lyin' to my boss, saying I killed her while I was actually protectin' this lady. One night, we go out to get takoyaki... old vendor looks at us and says, _you're very lucky to have a woman as cute as her."_

He frowned, if only he knew how lucky he really was. Maybe he would've agreed with the woman instead of telling her to cook more. Yang could tell he was hurt from the memory, and oddly enough she felt the need to ask. "Did... did she... not make it?" 

Majima could only shake his head. "Nah, she still up and runnin', just as I intended for her to be."

"That's... good, right?" Yang asked, unsure what he was getting at. She noticed his eyes narrowing, as if they were focusing. "For her, yeah."

"What do you mean?"

"She got to live in the end, she regained her eyesight, and she fell in love."

Just from the tone of his voice, Yang began to feel sympathy towards the man. "All that hard work didn't pay off, huh?"

Once more, he shook his head. "No, I had to make sure she never knew who I was. Otherwise... all that hard work would've been for nothin'. The clan would've gone after her if they knew she was with someone like me."

"...so you ran."

He didn't respond, just her voice becoming upset was a cue for him to let her talk.

"You ran, just like everybody else! Like Blake!" Yang felt disgust towards this man, he was no different than her mother, her best friend. "You should be ashamed of yourself, what makes you think running away is a good idea? Why didn't you tell her?!"

She saw the eyes of a man who was hurt, who was tired of everything life thrown at him. She felt her throb bob for a moment, her fingers squeezing the arms she had crossed under her chest. Slowly, the Mad Dog lowered his cigarette from his mouth, letting out another smoke of air. "Guess I just didn't want my feelings gettin' somebody killed." 

Majima began to tap his cigarette against the railing, watching the ashes fall to the ground. "...I loved that woman too much, and having her die because of me was something I was never going to be prepared for. Sometimes... you just got to run to protect the ones you love. Doesn't mean we want to, but its the safest option there is."

As much as she wanted to agree with him, she couldn't. "...then what about those who need people like you? What are we suppose to do when we need someone? _I_ needed Blake, and she ran!" 

His eyes began to frown, looking down at her robotic arm. "Must've been a real bitch to deal with, huh?"

"Yeah... it was..." Lilac eyes began to tear up, her prosthetic shaking from the emotions building up. "I... needed her, and she ran off... she was my best friend. Ruby... left me too. My own _mother_ , who I met after searching for years, turned out to be a coward _AND_ a bitch! So why is it fair that you get to run off... but we can't?" 

Her voice began to choke, followed by sobs that carried all the pain Yang felt inside. She was tired of being abandoned, of watching others leave her behind. It made her feel so alone and uncared for. Like if she offered someone a gift, but they threw it to the ground and stomped on it.

Majima watched as Yang cried into her hands. The sound of a woman crying was something he wasn't new to, but never felt used to. Slowly he stepped up to the blonde, wrapping a arm around her head to bring her into his shoulder. Oddly enough, it was comforting enough for Yang to weep into as she released her tears onto him. Her hands clutched at his sleeves, her cries becoming harder as there was nothing but a empty hole inside her she couldn't fill.

His hand gently patted her head, taking care in not ruining her hair, as he should with any woman. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled to soothe his nerves. He needed to be strong for those who were hurt, because he knew how it felt to be on the opposite end.

Pulling her closer, Majima began to rub the other's back, all in an attempt to comfort Yang. It was no different with the girls back at Club Sunshine when they cried to him about their lives. Whether it was family issues, toxicity between friends, or financial issues, the Mad Dog knew how to treat a woman who was broken. He needed them to be strong, standing in one piece that glew beautifully. 

Slowly, Yang began to pull away. Sniffles came out of her as she wiped her face clean of tears. At least her eyeliner wasn't ruined. "...s-sorry. I just... get so _tired_ of people running all the time... like why can't they come to us for help?"

That was a pretty difficult question to answer. Majima paused for a moment, thinking in silence before shrugging. "Dunno. Guess it ain't all black and white as you think it is. Nobody wins in the end..."

In a way, that just hurt even more. Yang opened her mouth to speak, but froze when she knew it was just pointless to continue on with this discussion. "Yeah... I guess no one deserves to, especially Blake. I mean..."

Majima gazed at her, noticing she was exhausted to continue being mad. She had a noticeable frown, her eyes lost in the sea of flowers resting in the garden past the railing they were leaning on. "...nevermind. I'm too tired to keep being mad. I'm happy she and Kiryu got together... but it felt like my own feelings didn't matter in the end."

His brow raised in question, wondering if it was a good idea to ask. "You... were in love?"

"Yeah." Her head lowered to rest her chin onto her arms, cushioning them. "But it doesn't matter. She can fuck that guy all she wants. She ran, and he didn't tell me where she was. Not like I mattered at all to them."

For some reason, Majima began to laugh, catching the blonde's attention. "What's so funny?" She asked, her voice carrying the annoyance she felt from his laughter.

"Kiryu, _pffft_ , he's the _LAST_ guy you'd expect to get laid!" His laughter became heavier, clearly amused in his friend's flaw. For some reason, that got Yang to let out a chuckle. "Really now? For someone as handsome as he is, does he have no dating skills?"

"No! No he does, but he just sucks at keepin' a woman around." Wiping a small tear from his eyes, Majima caught his breath before smiling at the other. "But hearing him and Blake being a couple, that shit felt like a joke at first. Then I saw how much he cared for her."

In a way, Yang wanted to be happy. Maybe if she was in Kiryu's position, she would be. "Yeah, I guess I'm _sort_ of happy for Blake. She told me about her ex, how bad he was, but now she has someone who's better. Still doesn't make me any less sad though."

"Yeah... I feel you there. I'm happy seein' the man in a relationship, but me? I'm not even sure what the fuck I'm doin' with my life."

Yang watched as Majima took out another cigarette, only to offer one to her. "O-Oh, no. I don't smoke."

"Suit yourself." He lit up the end of it once more before taking a breath of it in. Yang observed how he did it, making her slowly fall into temptation. "A-Actually... let me try one."

Taking out a another stick, the Mad Dog watched as Yang picked it up and placed it between her lips. Carefully, Majima began to light the end of her cigarette, watching as she tried to take a drag. It didn't end well, as she began coughing from her failed attempt. "N-Nevermind! I can't-"

Handing back her cigarette, Yang covered her mouth as she coughed into her elbow. She didn't enjoy the taste of it. How did Majima even smoke these things? She watched as the man took her stick, placing it into his mouth. 

"You're... not just going to throw it away? Even after it was in my mouth?"

"Well I don't want to waste it! Plus, I've smoked more than this at once before." 

For some reason, that got Yang to laugh a bit. Why was it amusing to see a man smoking more than one stick at a time? Why was she even laughing? Was she just that hurt and exhausted that there was nothing else to do to express her sadness? Maybe she was just tired, and needed to sleep.

"I'm... probably going to head back to bed now. Um, thanks for the walk I guess. Sorry I made things sad and all..."

"Well, I already told you." He'd blow out some smoke from his lips, sighing in relief. "I ran a cabaret club. Talks like these ain't new to me."

A cabaret club? That was a story she'd like to listen to. "Right... well, have a goodnight! Don't smoke too much, that's bad for you." Maybe she'll hit him up tomorrow to ask about it. Clubs were one of her favorite places to go to. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Felt like writing some good ol' Yangst, thanks for reading! I'm likely going to start being slow on updating chapters, simply because this is going to be a more heavy-focused volume, and I don't want to rush it. Hopefully you're enjoying the read! Let me know how it is in the comments.


	3. Enter the Loan Shark

Snapping his fingers as he walked in rhythm with the music he was listening, Akiyama was humming with the lyrics playing through his headphones. The man was happy with where he was going, because life was kind to him. 

Donning a red pinstripe blazer, combined with a black dress shirt and slacks, as well as a gold watch wrapped on his wrist, he didn't feel afraid to flex how rich he was. In his hand was a silver briefcase, filled with stacks of Lien he was going to bring over to his destination. 

Akiyama slowly began to sing, not too loud to catch everyone's attention, but not too quiet where he wasn't heard.

_If the stars all fall,  
When there's no more light,  
And the moon should crumble,  
It will be alright._

He loved this song, as it matched with the background he had. It was odd, how he started off as a employee at a high-end bank at 20, and simply worked his way up to become the top employee until he got fired. It left him in shackles, trying to undo what had happened. With no money and no job, Akiyama was forced to sleep on the streets until one evening he looked up to the sky. Money fell, as if fate was giving the poor loser a second chance at life at age 24.

_I will be there to take all your fears away.  
With a touch of my hand,  
I will turn your life to gold.  
Gold..._

With the song coming to a finish, Akiyama gazed at the line before him. It seemed like everyone was hitching a train ride to Argus, which was odd. He looked away at the holographic departure boards, reading the times and locations that were available. Unsurprisingly, Vale was the only route that was unavailable. 

("Must've sucked for whoever wanted to go there.") He thought to himself, deciding to return back to his mind and wait patiently for his turn. The next 15 minutes were passed easily, with his music keeping him distracted. It was a good thing his headphones weren't too loud for anyone nearby, otherwise that would've been embarrassing. When the guest before him had finished their purchase, Akiyama stepped forward to the window. Lowering his headphones around his neck, the man smiled at the cashier.

_"Hello sir, how may I help you?"_

This cashier, damn. She was a looker. Akiyama couldn't help but to smile, seeing those cute eyes, with the shoulder length hair that was combed nicely, it made the man blush a little. "Yeah, uh... let me get a ticket to Argus. Just going on a business trip, y'know?" He let out a small chuckle, hoping to earn a smile from the lady. 

Luckily, it did. She seemed nice, and her voice was sweet to listen to. _"Alright, one ticket to Argus. That'll be 1500 Lien."_

"1500? That ain't as bad as I expected." Taking out his wallet, Akiyama began to hand the cashier his wallet. "You know... this is actually my first train ride."

 _"Is that so?"_ The woman turned to him, retaining that smile. Her name tag was visible, showing her name towards him. ("Amber... what a cute name.") Looking back up, Akiyama nodded towards her. "That's right, I suppose the trains here are safe and all?"

With a nod, she handed back his card once the transaction was approved. _"Correct. With Grimm present in the region, the trains here have been designed to defend passengers with shields, along with cannons to shoot any of the Grimm that happen to come close. So there is nothing to worry about."_

What a cute smile she had at the end. As much as he'd love to stay and get her number, the man knew the line behind him was long and getting impatient. He'd take his ticket and card, stuffing them into his pocket. "Well then, thanks for the words of comfort, _Amber."_ He made sure to wink before walking off, leaving the woman with a small departing gift of his own. 

Akiyama made his way past the security gates towards the open courtyard. It was _amazing._ Food courts, second story levels with many shops available. ("Goddamn... this place feels like a mall.")

His stomach was getting hungry, and his train wasn't going to arrive anytime soon. With a small shrug, Akiyama began to make his way up to the second floor where all the restaurants were available. Sure there were actual diners, but he was in the mood for a burger. Fast, cheap, and able to satisfy his craving for a simple meal. He walked over to Smile Burger, a simple burger joint he remembered back in Kamurocho. 

Upon entry, he'd step in line behind a blonde woman. Her hair was gold, and the tight black jeans she wore, it made him unable to gaze at her figure from behind. Slowly his lips curled into a smile before his eyes gazed away. ("Another cutie, bet she would look nice in a dress.")

He waited as the woman ordered herself a burger combo with a drink, only to watch her turn around with her meal in hand after paying. Her eyeliner, lilac eyes, it definitely made Akiyama's heart flutter from how cute she was. That second of eye contact they made was something he wished lasted forever. Once she passed, Akiyama took a breath to settle his excitement before approaching the cashier.

...

Lunch was simple. He sat down alone, ate his meal while gazing at everyone that walked past him. He noticed a red-hooded girl running around with a bag in hand. Oddly enough, she transformed into a ball of red petals that flew around at great speed. It startled him a little, nearly causing him to choke on his burger he took a bite out of. Still, semblances were something people in Kamurocho didn't usually have. He didn't have one either, but at least he knew how to fend for himself. 

The train wasn't going to arrive for another 45 minutes, leaving him with nothing to do but to explore. For now, he'd venture the place a little, seeing which shops were available. There was a jewelry shop, something Akiyama usually windowed shopped at, but never bothered to step in. With nothing to do and nowhere to go, he stepped inside.

The interior was a chocolate-theme. Brown wood and yellow walls that matched the elegance of the shop. Not many customers were inside, giving him the room to spectate the necklaces and jewelry available. His eyes scanned for what might impress the ladies. Nothing too formal, but not flashy either. He had to be careful when picking a item, as each carried its own unique style. 

After a few minutes of looking, Akiyama perked his head up when he heard a complaint coming from behind.

"Ugh... I would totally afford this if I could... thanks dad." Weiss huffed in disappointment, her eyes staring at one of the necklaces she wanted. She looked up to see Akiyama walking up to the necklace she wanted, his eyes observing the item before turning towards her. "Guess dad didn't give you enough money?"

She paused for a moment, wondering who this stranger was. "Uh... yes b-but it's fine. Its just a necklace." 

("Hmm... looks like she may be in trouble. Maybe I could start doing what I planned from the start.") 

With the wave of his hand, he signaled for an employee to come over and help. Watching as they arrived, Akiyama gave the man a warm smile. "Hey there, I was wondering how much this necklace right here would cost."

"This necklace? Let's see." Looking over it, the employee raised their head from the glass beneath him. "That will be 30,000 Lien sir."

"Alright, I'll take it."

Weiss blinked in shock. Was this man really going to buy her this necklace?! She didn't exactly feel conflicted on the idea, one side of her wanted to tell the man he didn't have to, the other side took this as an opportunity to get a free necklace. 

"Y-You didn't have to, you know?" She spoke up, smiling as she felt grateful for his gesture. Akiyama was handing his card to the cashier, turning his head to notice that flustered look on the woman's face. He gazed at her for a moment, wondering why she looked familiar before hearing the beep coming from the card reader. 

"Your purchase is complete sir. Here you go." Handing the bag with the box containing the necklace towards Akiyama, the cashier took his leave as the man handed Weiss her jewelry. 

She couldn't help but to let out a small giggle of excitement, taking the box from him. "I really can't believe you bought me this, but thank you. How can I repay you?"

"Oh, nah. Don't worry about it. Consider it a small gesture from me."

"Really? But it was expensive!"

"I got a lot of money anyways." He lifted his briefcase in his hand, giving her a slight smile of confidence. It did earn another chuckle from the snow queen, who was under the impression this man had to be rich. "Alright, well... I must thank you in some way. What's your name?"

"Shun Akiyama, you must be..."

She sighed, retaining her smile as she began to sound bored of herself. "Weiss Schnee... yeah I know. Everyone's probably wondering why I'm here and not in Atlas."

He blinked in surprise. ("Oh shit, so its really _her!")_ Clearing his throat, Akiyama knew he had to make a good impression. "Well, I'm actually trying to get there too. I got a couple business partners I'm suppose to visit."

"Business partners? My dad isn't one of them... is he?" She immediately felt worried, only to relax when Akiyama shook his head. "Nah, I'm a loan shark, well... trying to be one. I got some unique ideas to help people turn their lives around."

"Turn their lives around? Do you mean if people are short on cash, or owe debts, you'd help them?"

"Yep! All they have to do is pass a test."

"A test huh? And how will they pay you back exactly?"

That was the ice breaker, and most people would either find it believable or consider this whole operation a scam. "Heh, well uh... they just pay back normally. Without interest or collateral."

Weiss had to admit, it did sound very generous, but it did mean he could be setting himself up for some people willing to take advantage of him. "I see. And you plan to open up shop in Atlas?" 

He gave a nod. "Yeah, figured there's a city called Mantle and people need my help. Would've stayed in my city, but it never hurts to explore outside y'know?"

She couldn't help but to smile at this man. Already he sounded much more like a hero than any hunter out here. "That's very kind of you. You know? I heard the city isn't doing too good, but it helps to have people like you coming in to lend a hand. Where are you from by the way?"

"Ah, I'm from Kamurocho."

Her eyes widened a bit, hearing the name of the city. She knew two other men who were from that city, but there was no point in bringing it up. "Well then, I wish you a safe travel, Mr. Akiyama. I'm afraid I should be going now, take care!" Like that, Weiss began to take her leave. Akiyama watched as she did, deciding to exit the store after.

* * *

**A few moments earlier...**

Stepping out from a closet in a clothing store for men, Kiryu felt a little hopeful for his choice of clothing. A light-grey jacket with double-breast pockets, along with a white shirt and black vest underneath. He wore black pants, combined with black dress shoes. In a sense, it was to prepare for winter in a formal manner. He looked towards Blake, who was the one that suggested he'd buy new clothes to fit the winter environment of Atlas. "Well... how do I look?"

She couldn't help but to smile, standing up to approach him as she fixed his collar into place. "It looks good on you, do you feel comfortable with this?"

"Yeah, I do." He returned the smile back at her. Oddly enough, just having Blake up close to fix his clothes made him feel like a husband shopping with his wife. Looking up past Blake, Kiryu would spot Majima stepping out of another booth with Yang waiting on one of the seats. He could tell the Mad Dog was able to cheer up Yang, but felt worried towards her relationship with Blake. "...have you and Yang been able to talk?"

A noticeable frown came to her, eyes looking away as she frowned. "...Not really. She said she wanted to fight you, but that was the worst it got. Other than that..." Blake turned her head to see Yang chatting with Majima, only to return to her lover. "...I don't think she's happy with me at all."

"Well... just give it some time, okay? Its been months since she's seen you." Kiryu's words did bring comfort to the faunus, who gazed up at him worriedly. "What about Majima? When did you tell him to talk to her?"

That was the miracle Kiryu didn't expect. "I... didn't actually. I don't know what he told Yang, but as far as I know, he's been talking to her since Haven. As long as she's happy, then maybe it could give you and her some room to talk."

"Are you sure? I... I don't know what to say honestly. I get so nervous because she's mad at me..." Her cat ears began to drop, her hands caressing over Kiryu's. He gave out a low sigh, rubbing her head to cheer her up, which worked as usual. "Then I'll let Majima know he should get Yang to talk to you."

Blake couldn't help but to smile warmly at him. If she were on her own, this task would have been much more scary to do, yet here she was with two boys helping her out. It removed any sense of loneliness she must've felt.

"Ugh... this shit feels too warm." Majima groaned at the fact he was wearing a black suit, along with a black coat over him. He frowned, to which Yang could only tease him. _"Aww... what's wrong? Does the doggy not like his clothes?"_

He scoffed in annoyance, much to Yang's amusement. "Ha ha, you gonna buy this or what?"

"Huh? Me? Do I look like I'm rich to you?" She crossed her arms under her chest, watching as Majima knew he would be the one buying it. "Fine... but you should buy us lunch." Lunch didn't sound too bad. In fact, it gave Yang the option to be cheap as she wanted. "Anything is fine, right?"

"Yeah, just not some gross shit that's goin' to make me vomit on the train."

_"Anything?"_

"...Yeah. Where are you getting at?" 

"How does Smile Burger sound?"

Majima could only sigh, unamused by her choice. "Just go buy the fuckin' food." He knew Yang enjoyed poking his buttons, but if it helped to cheer her up then where was the harm in it? He watched as the blonde took her leave, deciding now would be a good time to talk to Kiryu and Blake. "Yo."

"Hey." Kiryu spoke up, walking over to the cashier to pay for his outfit. Blake followed along with Majima, wondering if she should be the one to ask. "Hey... so how is she?"

Lips pursed in thought, the Mad Dog felt a little confused. "She's doin' alright I s'ppose. She ain't crying every damn night, but now she's just stickin' around me like glue."

"Good... um, I wanted to ask for your help, if that's alright..." Blake looked up to him, feeling rather worried. Majima took notice, arms folded as he gazed over her worried expression. "Go on."

"Right, well..." Clearing her throat, Blake began to form the words in her mind before speaking them out loud. "I haven't been able to have a proper talk with her. She keeps pushing me away, so I was wondering if you could get her to talk to me? Please?" 

It did make sense for him to be the one to help out, since he was on good terms with both parties. "Alright, I'll see what I can do."

A sigh of relief came out of her, followed by a hand being placed on her chest. "Thank you."

...

All three took their leave from the clothing store, heading up to the second floor where Sun and Ilia were waiting for them.

Both seemed happy to see the men in new attire. "Wow, you two are looking sharp!" The chameleon giggled, followed by Sun clicking his tongue and pointing finger guns at them. While Blake would speak to Ilia a few feet away, Sun would be left with Kiryu and Majima. 

"So... guess you two are heading to Atlas with Blake, huh?"

"Yeah, you sure you don't wanna come with us?" 

"Nah, you and Majima are more than enough to help Blake. Me? I got to regroup with my team, preach to them that their leader is still standin'!" 

Just as Sun announced his new goal, both Majima and Kiryu would approach the faunus to hug him. "Thanks for everything, Sun. We couldn't have saved Menagerie without you."

"Yeah, thanks for makin' me laugh too, Sunny-Chan!"

"Aw, you _guys!_ You're gonna make me cry!" Sun teased the two, hugging them in return before letting go. "You guys stay safe, alright? This won't be the last time you'll see me." With a fist in the air, Sun held it before the two. Kiryu and Majima would smile towards him before bumping fists one last time. Turning to see Blake was finished talking with Ilia, Sun gave a smile before waving. "I gotta go say bye to her, see you guys in the future!" 

Watching Sun walk off towards Blake, Majima and Kiryu would watch as the two spoke before turning to lean against the railing of the bridge they were on. 

"I'm gonna miss that monkey. He actually made Menagerie fun to be in." Majima spoke up, letting out a somber sigh. Already he was starting to miss Sun. Kiryu simply nodded in agreement, leaning beside his best friend. "Yeah... I'm going to miss him too, but he's trusting us to be safe, and to protect Blake. So, let's do our best, Majima."

Hearing his words, the Mad Dog began to nod his head. "Yeah, guess I better start by helpin' Yang, huh?"

"Could you?"

"I'll try my best, but don't get your hopes up. She hasn't been too happy whenever Blake's name comes up." 

"That's fine, just keep us posted." Kiryu patted the man on his shoulder before he took off. For now, he could only wait for the train to arrive and for Blake to finish saying her goodbyes.

Walking around the second floor, Majima's only working eye began to gaze around the area for a familiar blonde. He found Weiss walking out of a jewelry shop, but shrugged at it. That didn't matter, he needed to find Yang. Walking around, he began to pull out his scroll. He'd search for Yang's contact before sending her a message.

 **[Majima 9:45am]** _Yo, where you at_

 **[Yang 9:47am]** _I'm in front of the shop we were in lol_

 **[Majima 9:48am]** _Aight, wait for me_

Making his way back down to the first floor, Majima returned to the shop where Yang was standing outside patiently. He felt a little guilty for leaving her behind, which made him frown a bit. "Yo! Sorry, we had to go say goodbye to a few friends of our's. Didn't make you wait too long, did I?"

"No! No..." Her voice was a little saddened, having been left in the dark about his whereabouts. "You could've told me at least..." 

Her voice and frown was already a bad start to helping her getting to talk to Blake. "Shit... y'er right. I'm sorry, anythin' I can do to make it up?"

"No, its fine you don't gotta-"

"How much did the lunch cost?"

Yang blinked in surprise, smiling out of uncertainty on what to say next. "Majima, its fine. You really don't have to pay me back." She only received a head shake from him. "No, c'mon I'll pay you back. How much was it?"

A sigh came out of her, followed by a smile. "Look, if you really want to make it up to me, then let's find a place to sit and eat our burgers. That, and you can pay for our lunch next time. Sound good?"

She smiled when Majima nodded to the idea. "Yeah, I can work with that!" He didn't mind it. In a way, it helped to tighten their bond, and help Blake in the end. Majima began to make his way to the bench where everyone was sitting. It wasn't surprising when Yang took a seat farthest from Blake at one corner, on the opposite bench where she couldn't see her. The faunus noticed, frowning as she knew Yang wasn't any bit happier with her. She pressed her head against Kiryu's arm, deciding to close her eyes and rest for now. 

Minutes passed until everyone watched as the doors to the train finally opened giving every guest the chance to enter. Kiryu stood up, holding onto Blake's hand as well as his bag of luggage with any necessities he brought with him. "Let's get going." 

"Right..." She didn't sound too happy, but stood up with him nonetheless. Blake walked into the train with him, her hand holding his. Yang noticed and scowled at the sight, which Majima spotted from her. He took a mental note that PDA wasn't something the blonde wanted to see.

Akiyama was standing aside from the group, not entering the train until all of Ruby's gang entered before him. He knew none of them, except the familiar blonde and Weiss. The two men that were with them, one in a gray jacket and the other in a black coat. It rubbed him weird, as if they were people he might've seen or heard of. After a moment of thought, the loan shark shrugged at the thought and entered the train after them, now taking off for Argus.


	4. Its Your Fault

"Haruka?" With his hand holding the scroll to his ear, Kiryu found himself secluded in a room private to himself. It'd had been a long while since he last spoke to his former love's daughter, and it was his duty as her guardian to keep in touch with the little girl, who was barely 9 years old. 

_"Uncle Kiryu! How've you been?"_ Her sweet, delicate voice. It brought him the comfort that the cruel city of Kamurocho hid in the darkness it was filled with back when he was mourning his family. To think this child was the saving grace that prevented him from turning himself in to the authorities. 

A smile came to his face, feeling all thought of responsibility and Salem fading away for the time being. "I've been quite busy... sorry I didn't get to call you. How about yourself? Are you enjoying Sunflower? Make any friends?"

The sound of a child giggling on the other end of the line was something Kiryu needed to hear. The sweet innocence, reminding him that there was always light in a world of darkness, no matter how lonely he felt. _"I've made a ton of friends! I also started the fifth grade, one more year and I'll be in junior high!"_

"Really? That's great! I wish I could come see you..."

_"Then why don't you?"_

That question. Why didn't he come see her? It wasn't something he could easily explain. Haruka didn't need to grow up feeling scared of the fact that a big evil was currently looming over the world right now. 

With a disappointed breath coming out of him, Kiryu took a seat upon one of the beds present in the cabin he was in. "Its not that simple, I'm currently on a... business trip."

_"Really? Where are you going? Did you make any new friends?"_

Oh gosh, this child and her questions. For some reason they made his smile grow brighter. "Yeah, I made a ton and we're all going to Atlas right now. We're all riding a train."

A noticeable gasp of excitement came from the other end, followed by some feet bouncing on wood. _"Wow! Atlas? Where it snows everyday?"_

"Haha, that's right. Maybe someday we could visit Atlas together, where its Christmas everyday."

_"Everyday? Wow... also, Uncle Kaz! You know Christmas is coming up, right?"_

Kiryu had to look at the date on his scroll, only for his lips to purse in amusement. "Not for another three months. Its barely October, but I'll be sure to buy you a gift." To hear Haruka's giggling on the other end, it reminded the man one of the wonders about life. About Fate. Despite what he was put through, all the battles he had to face, whether with friends or entirely on his own, fate rewarded him with a treasure that could never be replaced. Haruka was one of the biggest factors in Kiryu's drive to push forward, and to fight against whatever the world threw at him. 

His eyes gazed at the window of the cabin, watching as trees covered in snow were passed by, the field of the forest blanketed in white snow was in full view. In a sense, he wondered what it'd be like to take Haruka sledding one of these days, and maybe, just maybe... raise her along with Blake.

_"Uncle Kaz?"_

"Yeah?"

_"I... saw the news about what happened at Haven Academy..._

His heart skipped a beat, realizing Haruka was likely aware of what _business_ he was actually doing. "Y-Yeah... there was someone who wanted to hurt people for the faunus, and I had to tell him that was bad."

Frowning at the response he gave, the little girl would lean against the wall at the living room, where a television was currently playing a children's show. _"A lot of kids here were cheering for you? Even the faunus we have here."_

"Eh?" He blinked wondering why the caretaker would show them something that horrific. "Haruka, you should've told the caretaker to change the channel, what happened wasn't okay for kids to see-"

_"I know! But... I knew it was you. I had to ask them to let me see if you were ok."_

"And they let you?"

_"Once all the children started asking to watch. We all thought it was something out of a superhero movie."_

"A superhero movie..? Is that what they think of me?"

_"Mm! A lot of the kids here look up to you now, saying you're just like a hunter who saves people. They were confused why you were fighting that faunus at first, but the caretaker helped to explain why he was bad and what you were doing was actually good."_

It struck him odd, but in a good way. Kids were looking up to him, and were likely asking Haruka about him because of what they saw on the news. Maybe what he did back in Menagerie affected more than just the island itself. He didn't _just_ improve the lives of the faunus forced to segregate from the rest of the world, he inspire children possibly around the world. To think he was a hero to them...

"Ah... well I couldn't have done it alone, I had some help. All heroes need sidekicks, you know?

Haruka began to giggle at the comment. "I _wanted to ask, but would I be able to see the friends you have? I made a lot here, so I can have one of the caretakers take a photo of us to show you!"_

"Ah... that'd be wonderful." Kiryu began to smile, wondering how he'd be able to gather his new allies for a photo. "I'll be sure to send you a photo soon. You have my information, so you can tell the caretaker to send a photo to me when you get the chance to, and I'll send it to her after. Sound fair?"

A noticeable sound of approval came from Haruka, making the older man blush from the heartwarming call they were having. "Haruka. I need to tell you something."

_"Oh? What is it?"_

"I..." His chest began to beat heavily, knowing the two were miles apart, and likely wouldn't see each other for a long time. "I love you, very much, and I _promise_ , I'll come see you as soon as I finish my business in Atlas. Okay?"

_"Yeah, I love you two Uncle Kaz."_

Uncle Kaz, it was such a childish nickname he never thought much about, but hearing it in these circumstances carried more meaning and weight than it usually did. "Not a day passes where I don't think about you, so don't forget about me. I have to go now, take care, and call me anytime you feel the need to. I'll support you even if I'm miles away."

Another sound of approval came out of the other end. _"Mm, alright! I have to go now, bye Uncle Kaz!"_

"See you soon, Haruka." Pulling the scroll away to hang up, Kiryu took a deep breath in before standing. With the raise of a fist, he loudly cheered out in confidence and motivation, a bright smile spread across his face. He knew his end goal was helping to defeat Salem, but with the added stake of Haruka and Sunflower Orphanage, it helped to boost Kiryu's drive to complete his mission.

Stepping out of his cabin, the Dragon felt the shaking of the train as it rode on the railroad tracks. He carefully made his way down the narrow halls to one of the booths' exits, entering a small lobby where Nora, Jaune, and Ren were sitting in.

Slowly he approached them, his noticeable smile present on his face. "Yo."

"Huh? Oh hey, Kiryu! You look happy, what's got you smiling?" Jaune looked up from his seat, returning the smile.

The man could only shrug, wanting to be humble. "Nothing important. Where's Qrow and Majima?"

"Qrow... he should be in the dining car up ahead, I think Majima is at the cabins, speaking with Yang."

"Mm... is everything okay between them?" Nora had to ask, unaware of what the Mad Dog was trying to do. Kiryu gave a nod, reassuring the three. "Yeah, Majima is just supporting her the best he can. Blake is with Ruby and Weiss, right?"

Seeing Ren nod would answer the last of his questions. "Okay, well I'll be in the dining car with Qrow if she needs me. Let me know if anything happens."

"You got it." Returning a smile and a response, Ren gave the man a thumbs up as he watched him walk off to the dining booth. "He was unusually happy. It'd been the first time since we seen him smile that bright. 

Nora couldn't help but to cup her chin in thought. "You think there's something fishy going on here?"

"Guys, relax. He probably just had a important talk with someone, probably someone from his hometown." With his response given, Jaune gazed at the doors Kiryu left through. As much as he wanted to know why the man was smiling so brightly, he knew better than to step into people's personal business.

* * *

Stepping out of the cabin he was in with Yang, the Mad Dog rubbed his face in exhaustion. "...so much for fuckin' progress..." He sighed, dragging his feet across the floor as he made his way down to the dining car. The sounds of Yang getting upset repeated in his head, like a record tape stuck on repeat.

_"I'm NOT going to talk to her! She left me. So stop asking me to see her."_

His eyelid was opened halfway, showing the fatique he felt after talking to Yang for nearly an hour privately in a different cabin. Entering the dining booth, rows of tables were leaned against both sides of the booth, with an open space in the middle for people to walk down. Gazing at the bar sitting up ahead, Majima made his way towards the counter before taking a seat besides Kiryu. "Yo."

"Hm? Oh hey, what's with the long face?" Qrow spoke up, noticing Majima's exhausted expression.

The Mad Dog gave out another sigh, gazing up at the bartender. "Just a glass of whiskey." Once his cup was poured, Majima held it to his lips before drinking. His throat was parched and needed something to quell the dryness. After a gasp of satisfaction, the Mad Dog turned to gaze at Kiryu and Qrow. "Sorry, Kiryu-Chan. Looks like Yang ain't goin' to talk to yer girl. She's pretty firm on keeping her distance from her."

"Oh..." His brows furrowed, frowning from the news Majima spilled. "Well, its okay. Just keep supporting her, she needs it."

Qrow could only smile slightly as he held his glass in his hand. He had a blue drink, with a slice of an orange hanging on the edge of it. "You fellas seem rather cozy in your outfits. You've never been to Atlas before?"

Both men would turn to Qrow, shaking their heads. 

"Heh, well... its going to be freezing, its a good thing you both came prepared. Though I'm not sure why the rest of us didn't get changed for the weather."

Kiryu's scroll would ring before he could make a response. Pulling it out, he'd read what the notif had to display.

 **[Blake 10:27am]** _Please come to my cabin, hurry._

With a sigh, Kiryu lifted his cup to down the contents into his body. Placing it back down, he'd stand from his seat, much to Qrow's and Majima's confusion.

"Yo, where are you goin'?"

"To the cabins. I should be back soon, hopefully..." That last word didn't sound true to its meaning, as Kiryu already had an idea what was going on. He made his way out of the dining car to the cabins, approaching one of the doors, sounds of arguing and crying would be heard inside the room. Taking a deep breath, he'd mentally prepare himself for the chaos that was present on the other end of this door. With a few knocks, Kiryu waited before sliding the door open.

"Everything okay in he-"

The man didn't expect to see Blake in tears, with Ruby and Weiss sitting together on one end of the beds available, while Yang was leaning back on the wall facing the three. All four women turned to him. He could see the looks on their faces: Ruby and Weiss both worried and unsure what to say, while Blake was a crying mess. Yang on the other hand, she was _pissed._

"Oh, so you decided to invite him now? You've got to be fucking kidding me."

"Yang I already told you! He was just trying to help!" Blake spat out loud, sniffling her tears as her best friend kept pushing her away. "I just want to make it up to you..." She spilled out. As much as she was trying to make amends, she only added fuel to the fire.

The same could be said for Yang, who didn't bother trying to accept any of Blake's advances. Weiss turned to the blonde, a noticeable glare on her face. "Yang, I know you must've been really hurt, but at the very least try to respect that she's _actually_ trying to make things up for you."

"Why should I? All she did was run off and stick her tongue down this fucking dude's throat!" She yelled out, a hand referring towards Kiryu. He had to push that comment behind him, since this situation was already bad enough. "Yang, I already told you that isn't what happened. Look, how about we start from the beginning. Tell me what happened?"

"Your girlfriend here needs to get it through her _thick fucking skull_ that I _don't_ want her help!" Yang's words came out rather harsh, causing the faunus to hug her own arm as her chest felt heavy. What she was saying was true, but it just didn't feel right after she learned to stop running from everyone. "I-I was just trying to help her lift her bag into the shelf there..." She pointed to the small shelf next to one of the beds, holding everyone's bags. 

Kiryu rubbed his forehead, knowing he was treading on eggshells here. Every word had to be carefully calculated to not set anyone off while trying to win Yang over to their side. "I'm... sure she was doing it out of respect for you, Yang."

"Respect? You want to bring up respect? How about we bring up the fact that YOU TWO didn't bother to talk to us these past two months! Especially you when you were in Menagerie!" Her eyes began to glow red, her body trying to control itself from falling into the temptation of beating the living shit out of the ex-yakuza

Ruby knew this was getting bad, and she had to step in before a fight could ensue. "Yang please listen! Maybe they just weren't ready to talk to you yet! Besides! They've told us they were helping the faunus in Menagerie, its not like they did anything together!"

"We... We went on one date... that's all we did..." Blake spoke up, her voice still covered with the tears she wept earlier. Yang casually leaned back against the wall, arms folded together. "Yeah, and I bet they _fucked_ afterwards."

"YANG!" Weiss' voice was sharp enough to split the air, bringing the message that what Yang said was starting to cross the line of being civil and just being an asshole. Blake shook her head, eyes still wet with her tears. "Why do you keep saying that?! I haven't even done that stuff before!" Her voice was on the verge of cracking, unsure why her friend was going as far as to humiliate her personally.

"Because its possible! I see how lovey dovey you are with him! You don't think I want to be that person with you? No! Because all you care about is yourself, Blake!" Just hearing that, it felt like two things began to fill Blake's mind. One was the possibility of her being with Yang instead of Kiryu, the other was her thinking if she was truly being selfish for trying to make amends with someone who didn't want her back.

"I-I..." 

_"I-I I-_ what, Blake?" Her mocking would make the faunus bite her lip, eyes swelling with tears. Ruby gave out a sigh before stepping off the bed, letting go of Weiss' hand she was holding onto earlier. "Yang! You seriously need to stop being such a jerk! Can't you see Blake regrets running away? She's here _trying_ to make it up to you!"

Yang turned her head towards her sister, eyes turning lilac once again when she blinked. "Ruby. Just be quiet. You left me back at home when you took off months ago."

Mouth slightly agape as she was hurt from what she was told, Ruby could only frown as she took her seat beside Weiss once again. Blake found herself wiping her tears, trying to find the energy to speak up without crying. "Then what do you want me to do? I ran, and I learned from my mistakes. I'm trying to make things up to you, a-and you're NOT even letting me!"

Hearing her words, Yang slowly began to move towards Blake. Every step was carrying the spite she felt towards the faunus, eyes narrowing down at her like some sort of predator about to pounce their prey. The faunus nervously stepped back to a corner, shutting her eyes when Yang was mere inches from her face. 

"I want you... _to never speak to me again. So leave me the hell alone, why don't you?"_

It was truly terrifying for the faunus. She was going to be left with the consequences of her action of abandoning Yang back at Beacon. It felt like every chance she had to make amends to her former best friend were going to be stomped on, as if Blake's words literally meant nothing but shit. Her words were meaningless and carried nothing valuable. Yang turned towards Kiryu, approaching him in the same manner but quicker, as if she was impatient to leave the room.

"And you? She's all your's, I don't even want her anymore." 

Turning as she went towards the door, Yang felt a hand grabbing her prosthetic. Immediately she turned her head to face whoever was stopping her from leaving, seeing that Kiryu was holding her back from leaving.

"I think we need to talk, you and-"

_"Let go of me."_

"Yang, I-"

 _"I SAID, LET OF ME!"_ Without a moment of hesitation, the blonde would swing a left fist towards the Dragon, connecting her fist towards his cheek. It was strong enough to send Kiryu stumbling against the shelf, causing it to tilt and drop Yang's bag onto his head.

"K-Kiryu!" Blake rushed over to him, carefully helping the man to his feet as she gazed over his face. Thankfully he wasn't too injured, but now it was starting to get under her skin. 

The blonde could only glare, watching as the faunus gently stroked the cheek she struck. "Why... Why did _you_ have to be the one Blake got together with?!" She cried out at Kiryu, eyes glaring with anger and tears she felt erupting from inside. "I loved her far before you did, and I even knew her before you two met! So tell me, _why_ is it that she chose you instead of me?!"

"B-Because..." Slowly standing up, Kiryu dusted off his coat as he took even breaths to keep his cool. "...I simply put a stop to the issues that were happening. Cardin harassing the faunus, did you ever think twice about putting a stop to it? No, so I had to do it. I didn't flirt or play around with her... I just did things that happened to catch her feelings, even when it was unintentional." 

Blake began to frown, knowing that she did feel more attracted to Kiryu's acts of justice than Yang's flirty comments. 

"So what... I lost my arm for nothing then? _Is that it?"_ Yang's voice was quiet, but sharper than usual. Her fists began to shake as tears fell down her cheeks. Despite her attempts to be closer to the faunus, they all felt like they were in vain. Her attempt to attack Adam, that was pointless. It was a huge message telling her that she tried to protect her friend for nothing.

Taking notice of her tears, Blake slowly stood up, carefully approaching the hurt blonde as she held her hand. "Yang... you know that's not true. I... never wanted for any of us to get hurt, no matter who I was in love with."

Her words didn't seem to get through Yang's head. She was standing there, looking at the floor as her vision was wet and blurry. Everything felt pointless when it came to winning Blake over. All of it rewarded Yang with nothing but a dismembered arm and PTSD. 

"...just... leave me alone... please..." She sniffled through her words, calmly taking her hand away from Blake. It was depressing to watch as Yang stepped out of the room, her head hanging low as her sobbing was audible. Blake began to feel her emotions erupting, her legs giving away before she dropped to her knees. She squeezed her hands tightly, nails trying to dig into her own palm as an act of self-punishment for hurting her friend beyond healing. Sobs spilled out as Blake cried on the ground, her body cowering in shame.

Weiss and Ruby could only watch, gazing up at Kiryu who stood there looking down at Blake. All of this, he indirectly caused Yang's and Blake's relationship from being saved. It was past the point of healing, his presence served only as a wall between their connection. He gave out a small breath before his legs began walking. He moved over from Blake, deciding to leave the room and the three girls alone.

"Kiryu! You're not going to..?" Weiss spoke up before he could leave, worried that he was going to leave his significant other alone on the ground. She and Ruby watched as he turned his head slighty enough to show half his face. A clear look of remorse was shown. "...Sorry, its my fault this happened." He closed the door behind him, leaving Blake to weep with her friends instead of him. Maybe her life would be better without him around.

* * *

Qrow rushed towards the cabins as a sudden shake occurred from the train. A few Grimm had landed on top of the moving vehicle, causing a siren to blare loudly. Opening the door to Ruby's cabin, the older gentleman caught his breath. "Girls! Get your weapons!"

"Uncle Qrow? What's going on!?"

"Grimm, they must've landed on top of us." Deciding to check out the situation first, Qrow rushed towards the outside of the train, climbing onto the roof via ladder to see various winged Grimm flying behind or already walking towards her. "Tch, son of a bitch..!" Pulling out Harbringer, he'd dash towards one of the Grimm before swinging his weapon in sword-form at it's ankles. With it dropping to its head, Qrow quickly decapitated the monster before moving onto the next one. 

From behind, Team RWBY managed to catch up behind Qrow. Already the four women were shocked to see the number of Grimm present. "Holy shit..." Yang was in shock, letting out an annoyed sigh as she activated her gauntlets. Ruby, Weiss, and Blake each took out their weapons. 

"Uncle Qrow! The others are helping the passengers to the front car! We'll help you!" 

"Good! Let's take these bastards out before they get to the others!" 

While the five were fending off the flying Manticore and Sphinxes on top, Kiryu and Majima were forced to help the passengers with escorting them to the front car. The Dragon would open each door, announcing to them they had to leave immediately. 

"Everyone! This isn't a drill! Get out of bed and move immediately!" He'd help with the elderly that had trouble moving, while Majima helped to guide them down the hall. "Majima! Make sure they-"

"You know I'm already on it! Just get them out of their rooms!" 

With a nod, Kiryu smiled as he knew Majima synced well with his plans. The two would guide everyone out of the cabins, with a pregnant woman being the last passenger to escort.

"Come on ma'am, we'll get you safely out of here."

"But my belongings!"

"I'm afraid your life is more important than valuables." Careful to escort the woman down the hall, Kiryu held his hands onto her shoulders to prevent her from falling just in case. Majima gazed behind him, noticing a little girl was crying. "Yo! We got a lil girly! Keep goin." Rushing past Kiryu, the Mad Dog quickly sprinted down the hall before stopping at the little girl. "Yo! I'm here to save the day, wanna get outta here?"

Crying as she was scared, the little girl nodded her head before asking to be picked up. Despite not liking kids, Majima picked up the child before turning his head.

It was bad timing, a Sphinx managed to use its paw to break through one of the windows before its mouth bit onto Kiryu's left arm. A sharp cry came out before he began tugging back on it, thankful that his aura was preventing the Grimm from stabbing it's fangs into his limb. "S-Shit..!"

He felt it's head beginning to pull back, forcing Kiryu to use his other hand to pull his arm away. He struggled to free himself, any longer and he might be pulled out of the window. His teeth clenched as he endured the pain, struggling to pull himself away. Before he could lose his footing, a hand pulled him away, followed by a knife stabbing through the Sphinx's skull. Kiryu freed himself, panting as it was Mad Dog who saved him. "

"Heh... I got you. Let's get these people outta here!" Grabbing the little girl, the Majima began to move out of the cabins and towards the front most car, with Kiryu following behind as he escorted the pregnant woman.

Once everyone was gathered at the front, Kiryu gazed around the booth. "Blake? Blake! Where are you?" He pushed past the people crowded inside until he came across Oscar. "Yo, where's Blake and her friends?"

"They're... They're on the roof fighting! Let's go after them!" As a guide, Oscar led him to the side of the car and up a ladder, where Team RWBY and Qrow were fighting off the flying Sphinxes. Their balls of ice fired towards them, forcing Kiryu to step out of the shot before withdrawing his blade. He rushed down the train, only to hop in the air and swing his blade across the Grimm's body. it disintegrated as he landed, but that wasn't the end. He needed to catch up with Blake and the others.

As he hopped over another train, four more Sphinxes landed before him, blocking his way. "Tch, you've gotta be fucking kidding me." 

Just as one of the dashed in to strike at him, Kiryu rushed in and slid on his knees, bending his back as he brought his katana across the Sphinx's body. He'd stand up and kick another in the face just before it could fire a blast of ice at him, forcing it to shoot one of its own instead. He'd bring his sword up, decapitating the Grimm before staring down at the next one. 

Its body lunged at him, trying to swipe at the ex-yakuza with his claws. While it did leave Kiryu on the defensive, he took it as a chance to counter the Grimm. Just before it could strike at him once more, Kiryu quickly thrusted his sword towards its neck, only to bring it upwards to slice its head open before disintegrating. 

Once again, he'd move down the train, soon catching up with Team RWBY and Qrow.

"How's everyone doing in there, kid?!" Qrow called out as he was busy striking down more Grimm.

To aid him, Kiryu pulled the trigger on his blade to send it flying towards one of the Sphinxes, knocking it away before it could strike Qrow from behind. "Everyone is gathered in the front!" He picked up his blade, noticing the Grimm were starting to fly over them towards the front. "Tch, they're moving to the front! Let's follow!" 

On cue, the six moved towards the front train, putting a halt to the Sphinxes advances to attack the front. By the sounds of it, cannons were attracting more Grimm than it was killing them. It was an issue Oscar was busy trying to solve with one of the hunters.

His eyes gazed at everyone fighting each of their own Grimm, deciding it would be best to play the role of support for now. Rushing to Weiss' side, Kiryu took care of the numerous Sphinx that were surrounding her. Before they could strike at the ice queen, he'd jump in the air and swing his blade at them in a X manner, killing the Sphinx that wanted to harm the girl before she could activate a spell.

"Thanks! But I got this." With white summoning circles now in place, Weiss jumped around in a enclosed area, striking any Grimm that was caught in her web.

As for Ruby, Kiryu rushed in and kicked one of the Sphinxes that was behind her, forcing Ruby to shoot it before it could pick itself back up. She'd strike her scythe into the belly of one of the Grimm, swinging it towards Kiryu who decided to react by throwing a heavy kick at its face when it came spinning towards him. The opposite forces in action were strong enough to knock its head off, giving the two a small moment of cheer.

He'd notice Yang was having trouble picking off any Grimm that were still in the air, and despite their rough relationship, he knew she needed his help. Hopping into the air, Kiryu brought his sword down onto one of the Sphinx's body, forcing it to land in range for Yang to start punching and shooting til it evaporated.

"I _don't_ need your help!" She yelled at him, clearly mad at him from earlier. It was rough, but Kiryu knew he only meant the best for her. A noticeable frown was on his face as he watched Yang wander off to attack other Grimm.

Lastly, there was Blake, who was shooting successfully at any airborne Sphinxes. She did struggle with the vast amount that were next to her. She knew she wasn't meant for crowd control, hence why she had to evade and pick them off one by one. Luckily for her, the Dragon of Dojima rushed in, bringing down any Grimm that surrounded her in a efficient fashion.

He'd thrust his sword, combined with his semblance to emphasize the thrust that stabbed through or knocked back any Grimm he came charging towards to. It was enough to give Blake the breathing room she needed. Panting, she turned to him with a sweet smile. "Thanks!"

"Don't mention it... we're not done yet." It was bad, despite how many they were clearing, it seemed like they weren't going to stop coming. "How many of these Grimm are there?" He gazed at the sky, watching as the white skies were covered by black-winged monsters. From behind him, Sphinxes were shot at by Blake when she noticed that there were several Grimm ready to attack Kiryu in his moment of idleness. Her gunshots caught his attention for a moment before staring back up at the sky, followed by her letting out a chuckle. 

"C'mon sweety, you have to pay attention if you're going to be helping us-"

There wasn't any time to react. As she was saying that, Kiryu was focused on the Manticore that rushed towards them. It swooped in to attack Blake while she was laughing, unaware she was about to be struck. Her body felt the force of a hard shove that _needed_ her to move out of where she was standing. Her eyes shut during the shove, but opened just in time to see the Manticore swooping in on the Dragon instead. Its skull tackled him off the roof, sending his body flying off the into the field they were passing by. 

Everything felt frozen for her as she watched what just happened. The sound of the Manticore swooping in, its skull colliding against his body, and watching from the corner of her eye how he flew lifelessly into the distance. Her heart beat began to pick up, followed by her breathing becoming heavier and faster. "No... no... No no no NO!!"

Her body moved to the edge of the train, eyes desperately searching for Kiryu to be hanging somewhere as if a miracle occurred. Life didn't work that way, it took him away so suddenly. One minute he was there protecting her, the next he was gone. 

_"Kiryu! KIRYU WHERE ARE YOU?!"_ Her voice cracked in panic, horrified of the possibility that he may be- No. Don't think of that Blake. He has to be alive.

"What?! What happened?!" Qrow called out, rushing over to Blake as the rest of her team regrouped. The faunus was starting to panic visibly, her body shaking as her breathing became too much. It was as if it desperately wanted her to calm down, but couldn't do so. "K-Kiryu! H-He's- I DON'T KNOW! I THINK HE GOT HIT OFF THE TRAIN!"

She cried out the reality of her situation, now tearing up from the fact her lover was already a mile away from his team. "W-What? He was hit? Are you sure?!" Weiss felt herself panicking a little as well, wondering if she just lost a comrade right behind her.

Blake was a mess, her lips quivering to suppress any cries as she nodded, head buried into her arms. It felt too much for her heart to handle the weight of her reality, one where he might be gone forever. 

"Guys?! We got a problem!" Ruby pointed ahead, recognizing an upcoming tunnel. "Oh shit... everyone! Off the roof, NOW!" Rushing to the side of the train, Qrow and the others made their way back inside. Blake was unable to move, frozen in place as everyone began to move below the roof to avoid being struck. 

Before Yang could hop below, she'd notice the faunus was still on the roof. What was that girl thinking?! "Blake?! Blake!!" There was no time, she had to move this woman by herself. Quickly climbing onto the roof with only seconds left til they entered the upcoming tunnel, Yang grabbed a hold of the faunus' arms, bringing her up to he feet. 

"You dumbass! We have to get down, now!" 

_"...I...I killed him..."_

Blinking from what she just heard, Yang felt a bit of a shock coursing through her spine. She saw how defeated Blake looked, her eyes gazing down at the side as her face was a mess from the tears she wept. "W-What..? No, Blake we need to move now!" 

Even if she was mad at this idiot, she wasn't cruel enough to let Blake die, She dragged her off the roof and to the train's ground level, managing to get below just before they entered the tunnel. Yang unconsciously held the faunus to her chest, wondering how Blake was willing to just let herself die up there. "Blake... what did you tell me up there? What do you mean _you killed him?"_

She couldn't look at her friend in the face, only tears came out before she clung onto her, letting out a rather painful cry. It was different than what she heard earlier in the cabin. No, this wasn't a cry of being berated, this was a cry of losing someone you loved, which stung the heart much more severely. Deep down, Yang was scared, but knew Blake was terrified more than she was. Her arms brought the faunus to her, hugging her gently as she wept on her shoulder. "L-Let's get inside..."

Entering the train, Yang carefully pulled Blake through the empty train cars. She glanced back, noticing how miserable and defeated her friend looked. It was like she had a guilty conscious ready to accept whatever punishment was going to be struck down on her.

The two managed to regroup with the rest of their friends, with Yang swallowing a nervous gulp when everyone turned to her, with the exception of Qrow who was arguing with a hunter, who had his arm broken, about shutting down the turrets.

"H-Hey Blake..? Is everything okay?" Ruby had to be the one to ask, noticing how the faunus was unreasonably upset. Blake knew it was going to upset everyone, that it was entirely _her_ fault why Kiryu wasn't here with us.

Majima gazed around the group, recognizing there was someone missing. "Yo... where's Kiryu?"

Everyone began to turn around, realizing that the man wasn't standing here in the room with them.

_"...h-he got hit off the train..."_

No, he didn't hear that right, did he? "...He what?" Majima turned to the faunus, who was starting to tremble in anxiety and fear of being berated. She shut her eyes, biting her bottom lip as she didn't want to breakdown and cry. 

_"...H-He got hit... off the train... because I wasn't looking..."_

The news shocked everyone, their eyes all focused on Blake who was now put under the spotlight. Majima slowly took a step towards her, his jaw shaking from the bad news he was delivered. "...Wasn't looking? _THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN YOU WASN'T LOOKING?!"_ His voice roared at the scared faunus, whose shoulders clenched up as she backed against a wall. She couldn't open her eyes, she was too scared to see everyone's look of shame on her.

_"I-I was shooting the Grimm in the air... a-and he shoved me before one of them pushed him off the roof... I-I swear I didn't kno-"_

The explanation was enough to agitate the Mad Dog. It was one thing to be careless and get hurt, it was another to have someone else getting killed because of it. He grabbed Blake by the collar, bringing her close. "You _swear_ WHAT? That you were just bein' a dumbass and weren't payin' attention?! Now my bro is DEAD!" 

_"I-I swear, I didn't know... I was trying to help hi-"_

"NO, you were just goofin' off like a _FUCKIN' IDIOT!"_

All those words, they felt so true. Nobody was in the wrong but her, and now that guilty conscious was going to live with her until she died. Blake began to breakdown, only to be shoved forcefully against the wall by the Mad Dog. He was mad alright, but that didn't describe the extent of how pissed he was at Blake.

"Kiryu isn't with us, and you _killed_ him!!" 

"Majima, that's enough!" Yang cried out, grabbing the man's shoulder before pulling him back to calm him down. She felt bad watching all this go down from an outsider's perspective, especially with how Blake was cowering in guilt and shame. Hearing her repeat apologies was both pathetic, and depressing. Everyone else didn't know how to react, given they didn't have the time to mourn because they had to save the passengers. They looked down at Blake once more, who was crying so much that everyone in the train could see and hear what she was guilty of.

_"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to get him... k-killed... I'm sorry... I'm sorry, p-please forgive me! I'm sorry!"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short delay on this chapter! I was originally thinking of having this chapter end further into the story, but it was already becoming too long as it was. I hope you enjoy the read!


	5. In the Cold

Staring up at the white sky, the sound of nothing but cold air breezing above her was all she could hear. Blake was still trying to process what just happened in the 15 minutes after she and her team regrouped earlier. From Jaune's team separating to keep the passengers hidden, thanks to Ren's semblance, to having Team RWBY stay behind to fend off the incoming Grimm, Blake wasn't too surprised when she was thrown off the train onto the thick blanket of snow after they derailed from a Sphinx's blast of fire.

All she could do was lay there, process everything that just happened in such a short amount of time. She lost Kiryu, she lost her ride, and here she was wanting to go to sleep forever in the comfort of the snow cushioning her.

One of her ears began to twitch when the sound of footsteps crunching against the snow was heard close to her. Her eyes turned from the sky to see Weiss picking herself up when she was thrown off the train as well.

"Ugh... hey guys? Where are you?" The ice princess looked around, seeing only the derailed train and Blake laying flat on the snow. "Blake!" Worriedly she rushed towards her friend, helping the other to sit up. "Are you okay?"

Was she okay? A short smug came onto her face, knowing she was far from it. She just lost her lover, and everybody watched her cry. There was no need to say anything, just the dead look in her eyes told Weiss everything the faunus was feeling. She understood well, but knew now wasn't the time to sit back and let Blake cry. 

"Come on, let's get you back onto your feet... we need to find the others." Grabbing ahold of Blake's hand, Weiss helped the woman up to her feet. She knew Blake was feeling miserable about herself, so she stuck to holding onto her hand. Guiding the faunus around the train wreck, Weiss noticed everyone was still laying on the blanket of snow before them. A huge sigh of relief came to her, seeing how everyone was present. Now, she just had to hope everyone was alive.

Approaching Ruby, the ice princess would shake the girl gently. "Ruby, hey Ruby! Wake up!" It was easy to get the younger girl to open her eyes, mumbling about how dizzy she was. As for Blake, she noticed Oscar, Qrow, Yang, and Majima were still asleep. Only two of those people she could calmly walk up to, the other two made her anxiety shoot up.

For now, the faunus focused on waking up Qrow and Oscar, leaving Weiss to wake up the other two. 

"Ugh... what happened?" The older gentleman held his head as he stood, vision slightly blurry from waking up.

Ruby gazed around, a worried look on her face. "We derailed... is everybody okay?" She announced, seeing how every person was still alive and moving. That was good. What mattered was not taking anymore losses. Seeing that the Relic of Knowledge was sitting in the snow, the girl walked up to pick it up, sighing as it was still intact. 

Noises came from the train, followed by a soft thumping against the metallic surface of the vehicle. Everyone froze in place, turning their heads to see a short woman with mechanical eyes stepping out from the train, followed by a man in a red pinstripe coat. "Hey, old lady! We don't even know what's out there!" 

As much as Akiyama tried to stop her from leaving, he had to follow her out of the train. He stepped out with her, seeing numerous eyes focused on the two. Nervously, he smiled and waved at everyone. "Uh... hi!"

Yang was disappointed, bringing a hand to facepalm herself. "...you've _gotta_ be joking..."

That man in red, he looked familiar until he spoke. Weiss opened her eyes in surprise, seeing that Akiyama was left behind in the train. "You! I know you!"

"Huh? Me?" Turning to see who it was that spoke to him, the loan shark found himself smiling brighter at the familiar face. "Oh hey! You were that chick I bought a necklace for earlier!"

"A... necklace?" Blake had to ask for everyone, which caused the ice princess to fluster in embarrassment. "H-He bought it for me! I didn't ask him to! B-But that isn't the issue here, _why_ are you two here? Didn't you go to the front like everyone else?!" As much as she was happy to see a familiar face, it didn't leave out the frustration Weiss felt towards him.

An audible groan came out as he rubbed the back of his neck, realizing an explanation was needed. "Well, yeah! But this lady didn't want to go, so I stuck behind to keep her safe." 

"And what a _fine_ gentleman he was!" The old lady spoke up, smiling at him.

Ruby only felt awkward from the comment, but knew these two were stuck with her team now. "Okay... well, I'm Ruby. These here are my friends. What's your name?"

"Ah, call me Shun Akiyama, this lady here is-"

"Maria Calavera." She cut in, feeling like she could introduce herself. Yang could only feel uncomfortable with the situation, it seemingly felt worse with every second that passed. "Great! Now we gotta babysit an old lady..."

Her eyes focused on the blonde, mechanical lids narrowing down at her. "Hey! I'm not _that_ old!"

Everyone seemed to feel at a loss of what to say next, until someone spoke up. "W-Where's the relic?" Oscar, who was now under Ozpin's control, began searching for the missing relic. "Ozpin, its right here!" Ruby held it up in her hand, seeing how relieved the man became. "Good... now give it to me."

Just the way he said it, it threw off Yang. "Wait, why do you need to hold it?"

"Its only fair I carry the burden of carrying the Relic! Now give it to me, Ruby." Despite his calm tone, it felt urgent and possessive, like he was hiding something from everyone.

With a grunt of annoyance, Majima picked himself up off the snow. "Who _fuckin'_ cares if any of us hold it, why do you need to hold onto the damn thing anyway?" As much as she wanted to stay quiet, Yang knew the Mad Dog was right. "He's not wrong, we're all in this together! So why should we just let you hold onto it?"

It felt like they weren't going to listen to him. Ozpin knew that everyone was one step away from learning the truth he hid from them so well. "Look, please just let me-!"

His body suddenly flinched, eyes reverting from a combination of amber and green colors to pure amber. Oscar was struggling to hold control over his own body. "He's... hiding something..!"

The air grew heavy, hearing the warning the boy just gave them. "Call it out... say her name... its Jinn!" Everyone grew defensive as they held onto their weapons, watching as Ruby held the relic in her hand. She hesitated for a moment, only to softly mutter out the activation word.

_"...Jinn."_

A flash of white surrounded everyone, trapping them each in a new dimension they collectively shared, but weren't present in. 

"Y-Yo, what the fuck?!" Majima called out, only to receive silence as a response. He gazed at the construction of Beacon Academy forming in the distance. He wasn't sure what was going on, but what he was going to learn was something nobody, absolutely no one, was prepared for.

* * *

From hearing that Ozpin was King Ozma reincarnated, to seeing how the Gods of Creation and Destruction were responsible for the creation of Salem, the Mad Dog dropped to his knees in the snow. Reality had turned back to normal, back in the wilderness everyone was in prior to unlocking the Relic of Knowledge. Their reactions were all a collection of disappointment, confusion, fear, and anger, but most of all: betrayal. 

"Did you guys see all of that?!" Yang broke the silence that consumed everyone for a few seconds after their return. "There was _so_ much you didn't tell us! How could you think that was okay?!" 

Ozpin, who was still in Oscar's body, was on his knees. Tears fell from his eyes, staining his cheeks as he gazed up at everyone in guilt. "I'm... so sorry."

That apology was quickly rejected by Qrow, who threw a heavy punch at his face. All that he learned, it angered him, it told Qrow everything he had done meant absolutely _nothing_ in the end. His punch sent Oscar flying against a tree, to which no one felt guilt for. 

Blake wasn't sure how to process the information herself. To hearing how this was a battle dating back centuries, to how Salem couldn't be killed, it wrecked her a bit. It didn't help that she listened to Qrow's monologue, about how he looked up to Ozpin for meaning only to become the worst luck of his life.

Akiyama, a total stranger in all of this, was bewildered. He stood against the side of a train, trying to catch his breath. "What... h-hold on, what the hell did I just see?!" 

"Its..." Weiss, who knew the man more than anyone else right now, had to explain for him. "...I'm sorry. You weren't suppose to be caught up in our mess."

"A mess? You could call this a fucking disaster!" He was frightened alright, how was he suppose to go on living peacefully knowing there was someone out there willing to kill all of humanity, add on top of that by the fact she was immortal. It made him feel insignificant.

Eyes turned to the Mad Dog, who was suddenly giggling. "Majima..?" Yang called out to him, knowing he was probably going insane from what he just witnessed.

It was uncomfortable, hearing his soft giggling turn into full on laughter. It was psychotic, as if all reasoning left the man's mind in the moment. It scared Blake, who was already uncomfortable of him regarding how angry he was with losing Kiryu.

 _"AHAHA! Haha! Hahahah! Aha..._ _you._ " His face glared at Oscar, who was no longer controlled by Ozpin. _"...you... you brought us out here, FOR FUCKING NOTHIN'!"_ Taking out his dagger, the Mad Dog began scurrying towards the injured boy. 

"Majima!" Dashing in to grab ahold of the Mad Dog's arm, Yang struggled to restrain him. Everyone watched in shock, seeing how hungry he was for blood. "Stop! That isn't Ozpin!" 

_"Shut up! I'm gonna kill this boy for draggin' us out here to die!"_

Losing her grip on his arm, Yang fell back onto the snow. Before Majima could get on his feet for a full sprint, he was tackled by Akiyama, who managed to pin him to the ground. _"Get off me! Get the FUCK off me!"_

"Calm down, you jackass! Ain't no gain killing somebody!" 

"Stop! Stop it already!" Blake shouted out loud, catching everyone's attention. She was a mess again, her anxiety having shot up through the roof. Hands covered her ears as she tried to comfort herself by silencing the noises she heard. 

While she did manage to calm down everyone, it didn't remove all of the Mad Dog's anger. He was seriously pissed at two people, not sure who to lash it out onto. "...get the fuck off me." He turned to Akiyama, who calmly stepped off the man. He stood up and sheathed his dagger away into his jacket. 

"Look at you, a bunch of crybabies!" Once more, everyone turned to see who was walking, except Majima. It was Maria, who was holding onto her cane. "We need to find someplace for shelter and all you can do is whine about what we just saw!"

"...eh, well she's got a point, we got to get out of this place. Its starting to freeze." Rubbing his arms, Akiyama felt the chills running through his body.

With a sigh, Ruby gave a nod to the idea. "Alright, come on everyone, let's head north and try to find some place. Her words didn't imply anything specific in that direction, but it was a start. They had to start moving.

Yang found herself struggling to pull her motorbike out of the snow, grunting from how stuck it was. "Tch, stupid... piece... of _junk!"_ She fell back once it popped out of the snow, the motorbike landing on its side before her feet.

Deciding there was no use whining, Majima approached the blonde before offering a hand. "Here... let me help." Pulling her onto her feet, the Mad Dog turned to the bike before lifting it up carefully. It wasn't hard for him to bring it up to its wheels, since Yang was helping. Once that was over, he began to walk with the rest of the group.

Though hesitant, Blake approached the Mad Dog. She did feel bad knowing how upset he was from losing Kiryu and learning the truth about Salem. "Hey... are you-"

Majima didn't bother hiding it. He pushed Blake roughly to the side when she approached him, causing her to lose her footing and fall onto the snow. No words were spoken, only actions were given to express his desire to keep his distance from her. 

It was hurtful, knowing now that the Mad Dog was giving her the same treatment Yang was giving her. She knew it was entirely her fault, and her chances of redeeming herself came closer and closer to zero. 

All the pain she was receiving, both physical and emotional, was starting to become too much for her. Breathing in shakily, the faunus picked herself up before following the group from the very back. Her chest becoming numb.

...

Everyone walked down the white path to an unknown goal. The air was freezing, snow fell on them as they left tracks in their path. It was quiet, with nothing but the sounds of feet crunching against the snow. 

Akiyama, who was starting to get really cold, began shuddering. His teeth were rapidly biting together, emphasizing how freezing he was. Blake, who was walking closest to him, calmly approached him. "Hey... you okay?"

"N-No... n-not really... pretty freezing o-out here i-if you ask me..." He reached into his pocket, taking out a lighter and a pack of cigarettes to light one up. While she wasn't fond of smoking, Blake wasn't close enough to this man to tell him not to. Besides, he was cold. He needed something to warm himself up with. 

As he took a drag and calmed down, the loan shark heard an audible sigh coming out of the faunus. "What's got you in the dumps?"

"...everybody's mad at me."

"Everybody? Only seemed like two people really."

"Well... yeah, but I don't know. It just feels like they all are." Amber eyes gazed at each of her friends, seeing their backs turned to her. Her cat ears dropped as she looked down, arms hugging herself from the shivers she felt.

Pursing his lip for a moment, Akiyama felt curiosity get the best of him. "What'd you do to get everyone upset?" It was a tough question, given she was still processing what had happened earlier. "I... I um, I wasn't paying attention when we were fighting on the train. One of the Grimm was about to attack me, then my partner pushed me out of the way before he was struck off the roof."

A click of the tongue and a hiss came out of the loan shark. "Ouch... I'm... sorry to hear that. I'm sure you were just fighting and couldn't keep an eye on everything."

"Yeah... but... what if its really my fault he's dead? What if I... I indirectly killed him?" Her eyes opened from the horror of what she just said. It sent a shiver down her spine, knowing she managed to get her lover killed. 

Her face, it was saddening to see. Akiyama didn't know who she was referring to when she explained, but it didn't mean he could leave her meddling with her own thoughts alone like this. Patting her shoulder, the loan shark unintentionally made Blake flinch. "Woops! Sorry, was just trying to comfort ya. But look, you said your partner got hit off the train, right? Pretty sure the guy landed in snow and is alive right now. So don't beat yourself up too much, 'kay?"

Just his words alone was enough to push back the negative thoughts Blake had on herself. Maybe he was right, maybe Kiryu was alive and currently trying to find his way to them. She took out her scroll, wanting to see if she could call the man. 

"Ugh... no bars." It was unfortunate, being out here in the middle of nowhere left her with no signal. She sighed, returning back to her miserable status. 

While walking, Majima began to groan. "Where the hell are we even goin'? We've been walking for an hour..." Yang gave out an exhausted sigh, having to pull her motorbike with Maria sitting on top of it. "My arms are starting to feel tired. Are we even heading towards a village or something?"

"Blah blah blah, you two need to stop complaining and keep moving!" Maria huffed at them, returning to the book she was reading.

Majima clicked his tongue out of annoyance, turning towards the old lady. "Says the lazy ass who ain't even walking!"

"Yeah... what he said!" Yang chipped in, smiling a bit at the Mad Dog who managed to shut up the old lady.

...

The walking was becoming endless, with no goal in sight. Their speed was starting to dwindle, and everyone was growing tired.

"...Ugh, I just want to get this stupid relic to Atlas already." Blake groaned aloud, her feet hurting from all the walking she was doing. Weiss had to join in, also exhuasted from walking. "I'm going to cry if we have to walk all the way to there..."

Qrow, Oscar, and Ruby remained silent, but Akiyama broke the silence that came after. "Atlas huh? For what? To bring this treasure there?"

"Yeah, we need to bring it to... I don't even remember anymore, nor care to." Having forgotten why they had to bring the relic to Atlas, the faunus was starting to feel her eyes becoming heavy.

Weiss on the other hand, had the answer Akiyama was looking for. "First off, its not a treasure. Well, sort of. Second, we're bringing it to General Ironwood to see if he can lend us another relic in Atlas."

"Ironwood, huh? You guys are really up to something big here. I'm actually on my way to Atlas as well!"

Mostly everyone turned their heads to Akiyama, wondering why he was going to the same route. "How come?" Ruby asked for everyone, each of them curious for the loan shark's reasoning. A smile came to his face, hand rubbing the back of his neck as he took another drag from his cigarette. "Just thinking of starting business in Mantle. Heard people there are struggling, so I'm going to become a loan shark there." 

Lifting the silver briefcase he had in his hand, Akiyama held it up with a warm smile. Though Weiss already had an idea what was in it, she still wanted to ask. "What's in that case? Money?"

"Yep! 100 million Lien."

Everyone froze, suddenly looking at him like he just said something offensive or shocking.

"W-What? I gotta have it to start up my business-"

"Yeah! But... why so much? Don't you have a card or something?!" Weiss spoke up, worried that someone could've taken it from him. He shook his head, letting out another chuckle as he began moving with the rest of the group. "Nah, I got plenty of money to help out people. Not as much as I need to retire, but plenty to help people without asking for interest or collateral."

Majima had to turn and look at the man, already doubtful of his operation. "Really now? So I can just ask you for a billion Lien and I ain't gotta worry about no interest and collateral?"

"Well, its not that easy. I need to win the client's trust. I'll have them take a test, and if they pass, they get the loan. If they fail, then they don't get the loan."

Majima had to admit, that did sound safe and secure. "And uh... how will you make profit? Sounds like you got money to throw away." That was a good question, but Akiyama knew he was safe and secure. "Well, I was a former banker, so I know how to invest and do day-trading."

"Day... trading?" Blake asked, confused by what the term meant.

The loan shark smiled, happy to explain to everyone about his plans and background. "Yep, its just trading stocks in a single day. Its a fast way to make a quick buck."

"Okay, but... why do you want to help out people in Mantle? Where are you from anyways?" Yang asked, clearly bored from what he was talking about. The loan shark picked up on her tone. He knew talking about money and finances wasn't a joy to discuss. "I'm from Kamurocho, but I felt the need to just explore and see where I can open shop. Feels nice to help people turn their lives around without all that interest and collateral involved."

"Wait, Kamurocho?" Majima now had his attention fully caught, turning to face Akiyama. "That's where Kiryu and I are from!"

Now that was a surprise from the loan shark. Who would've known he was from the same place as the Dragon and Mad Dog? Majima did smile for a moment, wondering what else Akiyama and he had in common. 

Before more questions could be asked, Ruby would interrupt the conversation as she held a hand up. "Guys! Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Blake stopped and paid close attention to her surroundings, using her cat ears to hear what Ruby was referring to. Nothing but a few seconds of silence came before Yang interrupted them. "I don't hear anything. What did you hear?"

Slowly, Ruby began to make her way towards a couple of trees. She followed her hearing, knowing something was hidden right next to them. As she walked further into the trees, the girl flinched as she heard the sound of squeaky metal once more. Her eyes turned to the left to see a red gate, slowly moving side by side. 

Carefully, everyone began to walk towards the gate of a small village. A few houses, a watering well, and a large three-story house was in front of them. Looking up at the sign before them, Majima carefully read the name of the town aloud. 

_"...Brunswick Farms."_

This whole village, it sent a bad vibe to everyone, except Akiyama who smiled with hands in his pockets. "Bet someone a thousand Lien we'll find a dead body." He turned to see the disgusted look on their faces. "...Bad joke. Sorry."

Carefully they made their way down the village, passing by the houses til they reached the large house at the very end. Majima felt uncomfortable, as if he knew something was lurking around. "...this place gives me the jitters."

"...tell me about it. I don't like it." Yang would respond as she parked Bumblebee against the side of the house. "You think... there might be a dead body?" She grew worried, looking up to Majima for reassurance.

He sighed, shaking his head. "Dunno, might be, might not, but just stay close, 'kay?"

"Y-Yeah..." She held her arm, feeling the fear building up inside her.

The front door was opened by Qrow, who peeked his head at both corners. "...Place is clear. Everyone, search the house. We'll be staying here tonight." Weiss turned to Ruby, holding her hand. "Wait, he's not serious, is he?"

The girl gave out a sigh, looking towards Weiss with a disappointed look. "I'm sorry, but its freezing out there. We really don't have a choice, Weiss." Ruby watched as her friend pulled away, sighing as she walked up the stairs.

Blake would wander in the kitchen with Ruby, noticing various photos of the farm's residents hanging on the walls. "...You don't like this place either, do you?" Her gut was telling her to leave immediately, but her mind knew they had no other choice.

"Not like we have a choice, but I'd rather stay here than outside in the freezing cold." Ruby unintentionally raised the faunus' anxiety about Kiryu. She turned to see Blake hugging herself, realizing the mistake she had done. "S-Sorry! I... I didn't mean to-"

"No. Its fine... I just... wish he were here right now."

"Blake..." Ruby frowned as she rubbed her shoulder, trying to comfort the faunus. "He's fine, we just need to hold our heads up, okay?" She gave the other a reassuring smile, one she hoped that Blake understood it carried no resentment for her mistake earlier.

Before she could say thanks, a loud scream came from upstairs. It was big, a shriek that startled anyone who heard it, regardless of how brave they were. Ruby gazed up in horror, realizing who's scream it was. "...Oh no... Weiss!" She ran upstairs, panicking as everyone else followed behind. Upon arriving at a large bedroom, Ruby would find the ice princess sitting on the floor, panting heavily from the view of corpses laying in bed.

Blake and Yang were mortified, both shivering as they hid behind either Qrow or Majima. Akiyama was the last to enter, clearly concerned about the scream he heard. "Yo! What happened? Is someone-"

His eyes fell upon the dead bodies laying in bed, realizing what he joked about earlier was no longer funny. "...oh shit... actual dead bodies..."

"Y-Yeah... I think... y-you can keep the money..." Majima spoke up, deciding to approach the corpses to see what could've killed them. The details on their faces, it was sickening. Their bodies were decomposing, skin dirty and smelly. These two had to be dead for quite a long time, especially in the cold.

Akiyama walked up with him, seeing how the bodies were clearly decomposed. "...Holy shit. A-Alright, let's leave this room, come on." Ushering everyone to leave. Akiyama quickly closed the bedroom door once everyone was outside, leaving the two corpses to rot inside.

* * *

Downstairs, a fire was started in the fireplace. It was the only sign of peace and safety in this entire village. Weiss was still scared, clearly shaking when Blake gently covered her with a blanket she found upstairs in a closet. This situation they were in, nobody liked it. Qrow had returned from outside, dusting himself of the snow that was on his shoulder. He shivered as he approached the fireplace, rubbing his hands to warm himself up. 

"So... what's the stitch?" Majima asked as he sat besides Yang on one of the couches, head rested against his fist. The older gentleman gave out a sigh of disappointment, knowing his answer wasn't any bit desireable. "...Every house. Dead."

Great, just fucking great. They really were going to die here. The Mad Dog gently punched the arm rest, much to Yang's concern about his mental stability. She knew he was pissed at Oscar and Blake, but also was in the mourning process. It was odd, how quiet he was being. Normally he was talkative when they first met, but now he wasn't. She didn't blame him though.

She sat up, hands on her knees. "Okay... so what do we do?"

"Well... we need to check the barn next door, see if there's any supplies here and in the other houses. Its going to be a long night with how rough the storm is getting..." Qrow responded, knowing they were truly stuck here til tomorrow.

Majima turned his head to the window, seeing how blurry the field was outside. He could barely see through it. Still, he wanted to do something to pass the time. Standing up off his seat, the Mad Dog gave out a sigh. "Aight, I'll check the barn."

"Then, I'll come with you." Yang stood up, smiling at him. Qrow turned his head to face everybody, eyes squinting as if he was going to give them words of wisdom. "Whatever you guys do, don't go out there alone. Understand?"

Blake's ears perked upon hearing that, softly nodding as knew she had a few potential options to tag along with. Majima gave a nod in agreement, already impatient to leave this damn house. "Right, barn it is then." 

As he walked towards the front door, he'd purposely bump shoulders against the faunus, causing her to stumble back against the staircase. She'd winch from it, knowing it was more of a shove than an accidental bump. As she hugged her shoulder, Blake watched both Majima and Yang leave the house together. In a way, it felt like those two people were going to stay mad at her forever. Her chest grew heavy knowing that fact.

Quickly, heels stomped against the stairs as Blake made her way up the staircase. She wanted to be alone, deciding she needed someplace private to take a breather. 

Walking towards the barn, Majima held his arms together, shivering from how harsh the winter storm was attacking them. Cold air froze his nose, staining that black beard of his with snow. Yang was freezing as well, wondering why she didn't cover her belly. The tight jeans she wore didn't help either, it felt like she was naked almost.

"F-Fuckin'! Snow! It's heavy!" The Mad Dog cried out, already wishing he were at the barn instead of walking through it. This short walk felt like hell, but it quickly ended when the pair arrived at the barn's doors. Quickly, Yang pulled it open, closing it behind her when they were both inside.

The interior was quiet and somewhat dark. Shelves were standing with various pans and tools sitting inside, bits of hay littered over the floor. Slowly, Majima walked into the depths of the barn, noticing light only came from a pair of windows at the very end. Yang was following behind, shivering from the cold she felt earlier.

"...So... pretty scary, huh?" She tried to make small talk, smiling nervously of their situation.

He turned his head to blink, unsure what she was referring to. "You mean about all this? Or just the barn?"

"A-All of this..."

As much as it bothered him, the Mad Dog didn't feel a single bit scared. "...No. Not really." It surprised her, wondering what did scare this man. "...h-heh, well... that was my first time seeing a dead body. Its... pretty wild if you ask me." She gently scratched the back of her ear, hoping this talk wouldn't become one-sided and awkward.

"Yeah well... once you've been tortured and hit often, it grows numb on you." His words felt cold, as if dead bodies couldn't compete in scaring him when you threw in a list of what the Mad Dog feared. In both ways, Yang admired and sympathized with the man. "...Man, I'm... sorry to hear that. I sometimes forget you've been through a lot worst than I have." She hugged her arm, wondering if she unintentionally brought up bad memories.

Walking to the very back of the barn, the two would stumble upon a wagon that could hold numerous people or things. Majima grew a smile, inspecting the wagon. "Hm... I think we can attach this bad boy to your motorbike! Have it to carry all of us outta here."

"Is that so..?" Yang sighed in relief as she turned towards the window. Her eye caught notice of a familiar figure in the distance, leaning in to focus on what it was. Upon recognition, the blonde's body moved on instinct. Arm gauntlet loaded, Yang stepped back and kicked against a can as she aimed her fist at the window. Her gasp of fright forced Majima to look up, seeing the woman standing there at the window, shaking like a person who just seen a demon.

He stood up, rushing towards the woman's side. "Hey! Don't... scare me like that, damn! What'd you see? A ghost?"

"N-No, I-" She was scared, taking a heavy breath to calm herself down. "...sorry. I'm probably just tired... I still get flashes of Adam after he... took my arm." There was no need to hide it. There was no way Majima was going to know what she was talking about if she hid it. The Mad Dog gazed down at her prosthetic, watching as it shook. Calmly he took a hold of her hand, moving it around to see all around it. 

Yang watched as Majima inspected her prosthetic, letting a smile grow on her face. "What are you doing? Trying to calm me down?"

"Mmm... was looking for the power button, but yeah, guess you could say that."

Oddly enough, that changed the mood. Yang began to laugh as she shook her head, blushing a little as Majima stood there annoyed. "What?! What's so damn funny?"

 _"Ahahaha! Ah..._ Power button. That's pretty cute. No, it doesn't have one, it's connected to my nerves. That's Atlas technology for ya." She couldn't help but to gaze up at the man's face, gazing over his eyepatch. "Bet they could make you a new eye if you wanted one."

A new eye? That would help a lot, but he had to reject the opportunity. "Nah... don't need it." He turned around to leave, letting Yang ponder on the thought of why he didn't need a new eye. She followed behind, deciding to leave the wagon here to be grabbed tomorrow when the storm cleared.

* * *

It was dark outside now, and the storm wasn't clearing up one bit. Blake knew that Kiryu had to have found shelter, otherwise he wouldn't survive what nature was throwing out there. Wandering out there, in the cold, with no clear direction in sight, it made her sick to the stomach. She was badly hurt, and nobody was helping her to mend those injuries.

From losing Kiryu, she managed to unintentionally ruin her friendship with Majima. Despite her countless attempts to speak to him or Yang, none of them would bother trying to listen to her, or attempt to speak with her about how they felt. It was like they were leaving her behind in the dark, and she couldn't bear it. 

Her chest felt heavy with the guilt knowing she was the reason why Kiryu wasn't here right now. Her hand was placed against her chest, trying to breathe to stop the aching she felt, otherwise she'd grow more depressed about it. She wanted it to stop, but the countless reminders that he wasn't here pushed against her mind nonstop.

With Blake leaning against a wall near the door to the bar, Ruby stepped out from the opening between rooms. She noticed the faunus, who's eyes looked like they needed to sleep. "Hey Blake..? Its getting late, how about we get some sleep?"

She didn't respond for a good few seconds, only to break the silence with a soft mutter of agreement. Every bit of her just wanted to lay down and die.

In the living room, everyone was starting to make beds. So far, the women had the living room floor, leaving all the men to find their own sleeping places. Akiyama frowned at the sight, knowing tonight was going to be uncomfortable. "...Man, so where do I sleep? On the table?"

"...Guess so." Blake muttered out, her eyes gazing at the fire sitting a few feet before her. She wished she could fall asleep already, or at the very least just turn herself off completely. 

Taking a seat at one of the couches, Akiyama gazed down at the faunus, He sighed, knowing she was probably upset still after everything that happened. "You doin' alright?"

"...Not really." Without moving her body, it was hard to hear what Blake was saying. Every word she spoke came out muffled or quiet. "Huh? Sorry, couldn't hear you." Akiyama leaned down from his seat, hand against his ear to hear her clearer. The faunus rolled onto her back, dead eyes looking up at the ceiling. 

_"...Not really."_

It was a sight that worried Akiyama. Seeing her like this, he knew whatever was bothering Blake was starting to become a big issue. He looked up, seeing Ruby, Weiss, and Oscar getting ready to go to sleep. 

"Okay guys, lets get some sleep. Qrow said we'll leave early tomorrow morning." Ruby announced to everyone, deciding to cuddle closely to Weiss since the ex-heiress was still scared of their situation. The sight did bring a smile to the loan shark, only to make his eyes open up with an idea in mind.

He leaned down to the faunus' ears, now having to whisper. "...Hey, who was it you wanted to talk to?"

"...huh?"

"The two friends that are mad at you, who were they?"

"...why does it matter? They hate me, its my fault..."

Crap, her depression was getting bad. Though he didn't want to admit it, the same look was almost seen in everyone's eyes, just to a different degree. For Blake, her eyes were the most noticeable from how they seemed empty. "...it does to me, now tell me, who were they again?"

A heavy sigh came out of the faunus, who decided to roll onto her side, back facing Akiyama. "...Yang and Majima... now leave me alone..." 

With a silent thanks, the loan shark patted the faunus on her shoulder as a means of comfort before standing up. For some reason, his head felt light-headed. Too much in fact, that he had to take a seat to regain his stability before slowly standing up once more. "...woah, that was weird." 

Walking over to the kitchen, Akiyama could notice Qrow, Majima, and Yang all standing together with cups of alcohol in their hands, except the blonde's. Hands in his pockets, the loan shark gave them a smile, hoping to remove the feeling of being an outsider to everyone. "Yo, what are we having tonight?"

"Heh, just some good ol'whiskey." Qrow spoke up, his face seeming exhausted and done with all of the bullshit life threw at him. Majima was noticeably well, his face showing no signs of fatigue. Yang however, she was starting to get the same empty look in her eyes. 

Swallowing a nervous gulp, the loan shark stepped closer. "Hey uh... so, I know its none of my business but... Blake feels really sorry for what happened between you two."

As kind as Akiyama was, Majima shot him a glare. "Look, you and I can get along, but I ain't talking to that damn girl. She brought it upon herself for fuckin' up and causing us to lose one of our own." As he said that, Yang gazed at him with a hint of worry. Maybe she did have feelings of remorse about how she treated Blake after seeing how mean Majima was behaving towards her.

"Right..." Scratching the back of his neck, the loan shark gazed at Yang. "I'm sure you must be feeling bad, right?"

Hugging her arm, Yang gave out a sigh. "Sort of, but she kind of deserves it after leaving me."

"Leaving you, huh? Must suck to be left by someone you're close to. Know how that feels."

A moment of silence followed after that, with everyone slowly taking sips of their drinks or watching as Akiyama poured himself a glass. Yang held her head low, thumb rubbing against the back of one of her hands. "...can I be honest?"

The three men looked up to her, all waiting for a response. Yang nervously swallowed the anxiety she felt, mostly because Majima was there. "...I... I feel like its sort of my fault for what happened to Kiryu."

Qrow's eyes squinted as he heard her words. "Your fault..? What are you talking about?"

"I... I sort of... I don't know, this might sound petty or childish, but... I was seriously mad at Kiryu for dating Blake. One night, I... made a wish that he wouldn't be here anymore, and now that he isn't, I don't know... how to feel about it." Her eyes looked up at their eyes before darting back down quickly, readying herself for any words of disgust at her.

The first one to speak up was Majima, who sighed as he tapped his finger on the counter behind him. "...Wish huh? Doubt that means shit. Just because you wish for somethin', it don't mean it'll happen by magic." He couldn't be mad at the woman for that. There really was no use in being mad at someone who made a simple wish that coincidentally occurred.

Qrow purse his lips, wanting to say something before he held his glass towards the Mad Dog. "...what he said." There was no use arguing about any of this. What happened was done with. All four gazed at the window, seeing how it was pitch black as only white pellets of snow rained outside. No one was coming, and no one was going to survive out there.

Akiyama, who served himself a drink, smiled as he twirled the liquid in his cup. "You know, it sucks to lose someone, that's why you gotta keep the one's with you close. Don't you think?" He raised his glass to his lips, drinking the whiskey.

Yang turned back to the loan shark, who was in the bartender's spot. In a way, it made her smile seeing him stand there, like he was someone who carried words of wisdom. "...I guess so."

"Then maybe you should go comfort that faunus. She needs you now more than ever." 

As much as she wanted to, Yang felt her body hesitating. "...Yeah, but she doesn't love me."

"True, she doesn't, but would you want to see her succumb to her depression? Watch as she loses herself?" Akiyama leaned against the counter, waiting for Yang to make a response. Instead, he'd watch as the blonde decided to head for the door. She didn't have an answer, but she stopped to turn to everyone as she held the frame of the doorway. "...Goodnight. Make sure Qrow doesn't drink too much."

With Yang deciding to go to sleep, the three men were left to enjoy the booze in silence for the next hour until it became late in the night. They had to wake up and leave at sIx in the morning, yet it was already midnight.

Akiyama and Majima helped the drunken Qrow to a nearby chair where he wanted to sleep at, despite how uncomfortable it may have been. It was next to a window besides the front entrance, a perfect spot to see when it was daylight. The two men decided to find their sleeping spots elsewhere in the house. The loan shark stayed in the bar lounge, while Majima slept in the kitchen. There were no reasonable spots to sleep at, given there wasn't any beds available that didn't have a dying corpse on it, or a couch big enough to sleep on.

With the lights off in the lounge, Akiyama made his way to the bartending section where he'd be sleeping at. A simple blanket rested in the narrow aisle between the shelves of booze and the counter. "...So much for a bed. Guess when you're desperate, any place is good to sleep in."

Before he began to lay down, his body froze from the soft sound of moaning he heard. His head peeked up from behind the counter, noticing the sound was coming from the cellar. Those grey doors that were locked, he kept his focus on them. His heart beat rose faster, fingers becoming cold as his breathing became shallow, wondering if those doors were hiding anything besides alcohol.


	6. Seeking Peace

That night had to have been a dream, no less than a nightmare. From the constant moans coming beneath the floorboards to the negative thoughts that filled his head, Akiyama felt like he was sleeping on something sinister without knowing what it was. It could have been a demon, or a ghost. Regardless of what it was, it did something to him that night. Every ounce of his will felt like it was being drained, as if his body simply wanted to give up. The thoughts of helping people, his money, he couldn't stop thinking what the point of it was, and why he should continue.

He laid there on the wooden floor, blanket covering his cold, unmoving body as his eyes stared into the darkness, seeing the empty cash register tucked beneath the counter. Money, what was the point of it? It only saved him for a while, but what would he do when it vanishes? He'd have nothing to move forward with. The money attached to his name? It was his lifeline. Once it was cut away from him, his dream was meaningless. It would be easy for anyone to rob him, so what was the point of helping anyone? What if they would just use him and help themselves, like starving wolves feeding off a deer?

Before he knew it, it was already daylight. He'd barely gotten any sleep from the constant thoughts of giving up. It'd hit him harder than before, which was odd. Never did he feel depressed or apathetic about anything prior to coming to Argus, in fact he was excited. So why now? Why did he want to give up before the dream even began?

Struggling to pick himself up, Akiyama hoisted onto the counter, grunting from how weak he felt. It was like his body weighed much heavier than he was used to. _"Ggh..._ what the hell... I gotta sleep somewhere better next time."

Letting out a low breath, he gazed around the bar he had slept in. It was quiet, not a single noise was heard except the sound of a slightly audible beep in his ears that one could hear in a silent place.

Eyes turned to face the grey doors to the basement. The lock was still on them, so that gave him some relief. He checked his watch, noticing it was 10:49am. "...I really did sleep in late... wait." His heart skipped a beat, was he alone? Did the others ditch him? Quickly he rushed out of the bar and towards the hall. Some relief came to him when he caught Qrow sleeping in his chair that Majima helped put him in last night. 

Walking over, Akiyama gently kneeled, waving at the man's face. ("Yep... still asleep. Let's see how the others are doing...")

Making his way to the living room, both relief and worry washed over his body. Everyone was present, but they were all asleep. His eyes gazed at every person in the room. Oscar and Maria were asleep in their respective chairs, Ruby was cuddled with Weiss, and so was Yang cuddling Blake. A slight smile came to his lips knowing the blonde took his words into account, silently hoping for the two to feel better. His eyes turned towards the kitchen, seeing a bit of Majima sleeping on the ground.

("Okay... now how should I wake them up? Guess I better start with the old dude in the chair.") A sigh came to his lips as he made his way back towards the older gentleman. A hand shook him, hoping to cut off his slumber. "...psst! Hey, old geezer, wake up."

Qrow was still asleep, but breathing. Shaking him some more, Akiyama felt his chest growing heavy. This dude wasn't dead, was he? No, he was breathing, but he wasn't waking up. Grabbing an empty bottle by his feet, the loan shark mentally prepared himself for how loud his next move would be.

"...sorry about this." He raised the bottle, bringing it against the counter. With the breaking of the bottle followed Qrow jumping in his seat, eyes shooting up to see what that noise was. He was breathing heavily, gazing up at Akiyama. "You... ugh, why'd you do that for?"

A frown was on his face, but he knew he had to tell him. Lifting his watch to Qrow, the loan shark had the time displayed to tell him why he needed to wake up. The older gentleman gave out a disappointed sigh, rubbing his forehead in frustration. "...You've gotta be kidding me... its almost 11?"

"Yeah, we were suppose to leave hours ago."

"Hours... yeah. Wake up the others." Standing up, Qrow made his way up the stairs next to them to use the restroom. Hands tucked in his pockets, it was clear he wanted to be left alone for a little while longer.

With no other choice, Akiyama made his way back to the living room. First he'd wake up Weiss, who was clearly exhausted, then Ruby, Yang, Blake, and finally the other three. Everyone seemed unwilling to get up, except Ruby who oddly seemed livelier than everyone else. "Guys... come on... we have to get up." She spoke up, trying to help Weiss to her feet.

"... _mmm..._ just five more minutes..."

Akiyama turned to Yang and Blake, who were still cuddled in their sleep. "Yo, let's rise and shine." He knelt by them, noticing Yang was struggling to open her eyes, while Blake gave out a desperate whimper when tucking her face into the blonde's chest. 

With the click of the tongue, he knew this was going to be annoying, but necessary. Leaning close to one of the faunus' cat ears, Akiyama grew a smile for what he was about to do. 

_"BOO!"_

A startled whine came out of Blake, who shot herself out of Yang's grasp. Everyone else turned towards her, wondering why she yelled like that. As much as he would've loved to laugh at that, the loan shark knew the circumstances didn't fit for any jokes. "Sorry about that, Qrow said we gotta get up." Offering a hand towards the faunus, Akiyama received only a slap away from the other. 

Her eyes glared at him, still sleepy yet dead in a way. "...Don't wake me up like that... you dick." She gave out a huff, slowly picking herself up off her feet. Everything felt heavy, and she just wanted to go back to sleep. 

Immediately he felt some regret in that, a hand rubbing the back of his head. "...Sorry."

...

With everyone now awake, there was only one thing left to do. Akiyama approached the Mad Dog, who was still struggling to wake up in the kitchen. Leaning against the sink, Majima gave out a heavy yawn as he rubbed his only working eye. His head gazed up when he noticed the loan shark approaching him. "...what's up?"

"You and Yang found some wagon for us to ride in yesterday, right?"

"...Yeah. We left it in the barn since the storm was heavy."

"Right... right. Well, mind helping me grab it? Everyone else just seems dead tired right now."

An unmotivated groan came out the Mad Dog. "...fine. Let's go grab that sucker."

Both men would leave the house together, putting the rest in charge of cooking breakfast. With the storm clear, and the skies now visible, Akiyama took in a heavy breath. Finally he could breathe easily.

The two walked down the path to the barn, the cold air slightly breezing against them. Upon arrival, Majima pulled one of the doors open, exposing the barn's interior. "There it is, all the way down there." 

"Down there? Might have to take it out from the back then." As they walked in, Akiyama knew he had to speak up about last night. "Hey, so... did you hear anything last night?"

Majima raised a brow at him, wondering what the man was talking about. "No, why? You heard ghosts or somethin'?" That comment, it made the loan shark give out a short chuckle as he scratched the back of his head. "Haha... uh, well not ghosts. Just moaning."

Now that was odd, but the Mad Dog knew it could've been a prank. "Look man, I ain't in the mood for jokes, so just save it and help me move this damn thing." Grabbing a hold of the door handle for the back of the barn, Majima began to open it. 

What a shame, he thought Majima would believe him, but who else would he be able to talk to about it? It honestly scared him a little. Akiyama grabbed the back of the wagon, with the other holding the front until they began pushing it. 

He couldn't stop thinking about last night. The moaning, the inability to sleep, and how heavy he felt, it all felt depressing and slightly horrific. The loan shark gave out a sigh, knowing it would be best to drop the thought as they were all going to be leaving once the preparations were set.

Everyone was waiting outside at the front of the house, which somewhat bothered Akiyama. As soon as he moved the wagon behind Yang's motorbike, an audible breath of annoyance came out of him. "Hey, who's cooking breakfast? I'm starving..."

Seeing each person shrug as a response only made his disappointment grow worst. "...You guys... come on, I can't do all this myself."

"I... can't really cook." Ruby stood there, poking her index fingers together. Yang simply shrugged her shoulders, now having that noticeable emptiness in her eyes. "I can't cook shit either."

With no business to attend to, Majima began to make his way to the front door of the house. Blake was standing in the middle, eyes staring at the snow with her hand hugging her arm. "Move." He spoke up to her, only to receive no response. The faunus was stuck in her own little world, which quickly shattered when the Mad Dog pushed her out of his way.

Annoyed by his rudeness, she knew it was time to stand up for herself. "Can you _stop_ pushing me?!" Her words stopped the Mad Dog from entering, his body slowly turning towards her. Her words caught the attention of everyone else, who watched the two about to speak.

"...Oh yeah? And what're _you_ gonna do about it?" His words were soft, quiet in a manner that left Blake rather unsure and anxious. "I-I don't know, but just stop. I know you're mad about Kiryu not being here with us, but I-"

"But what? That you were just stupid to pay attention, now we're down a man because your dumbass can't fight well?"

"Majima, that's enough!" Weiss had to cut in, eyes glaring at him. Even if he did freak her out a little, the ex-heiress knew she had to stand up for her friend. Blake took a breath in, somewhat offended by his words. "I _can_ fight well."

His eyepatch faced the faunus, brow narrowing down at her. In a way, he didn't want to look at the woman who indirectly killed his best friend.

Blake could only frown at the gesture. "I know you're mad at me, but I'm mad at myself more than anyone here. So please, just... give me a break already. Its hard enough than it already is." Her head tilted towards the floor, ears dropping until she jumped from the Mad Dog punching the wall next to him.

"A break huh? What about me? What about the rest of us? What about _your_ best friend, who you needed you!? But nah. You wanted to run home to mommy and daddy to cry like a little _bitch!"_

His words began to make the air heavy around them. Yang knew he was telling the truth, and she couldn't exactly be mad at him, but the way he was going at it. It was harsher than necessary. Blake's lips quivered, her eyes watering up. She looked up to him, now angry he had to say those things to her. Without any words, she swung her hand across his face, leaving a red mark on his right cheek. Blake pushed him aside as she stomped inside, quickly making her way upstairs to the restroom once more.

"Blake! Blake!" Ruby followed behind, worried as she pushed past Majima. Weiss followed, only to stop and glare at the Mad Dog. "Way to go, jackass." She pushed the him aside, deciding to go upstairs with her best friend.

With the group now split, Akiyama knew things were going to get worst. He'd walk up the stairs, gazing at the Mad Dog who glared at him. "...the fuck you starin' at? Came to push me too?"

"Nah, I'll uh... cook breakfast for all of us." As lazy as he usually was, the loan shark knew he was going to have to take matters into his own hands. Patting Majima on the shoulder, he'd carefully walk by him. The Mad Dog simply huffed deciding to pull out a cigarette and a lighter to smoke for the time being. Eyes turned to watch Qrow stepping on the wagon, only for a tire to blow out. His eyes rolled, knowing they were going to be stuck a while longer.

Walking up to him, Yang had her hands folded together. "Hey, uh... mind if we talk?" Lilac eyes darted down to his hand, watching as it was gripping the edge of his pocket.

"Why? You mad at me too?"

"...sort of, but I'm mostly confused. I just want to get to know you more, that cool with you?" She looked up to his eye, noticing he was beginning to calm down a little. With the wave of a hand, Majima gave her the clear to go. "...Yeah, ask away I s'ppose."

Where to begin. Yang felt herself leaning against the railing Majima was on, arms folded together. "So, how long have you known Kiryu? You must've been close to him if you're mourning for him."

He had to stop and think for a moment. Thinking about his best friend hurt, but he wasn't opposed to sharing his thoughts. "Guess... its been a few months actually. No, almost a year? I don't remember."

A year, to think it didn't take that long for Majima to have a strong attachment to that man. "And how did you two first meet?" Her question brought a half smile to his face, knowing their meet up was the result of a large incident regarding the Tojo Clan. To think that man was also protecting Makoto, it was something he respected from the Dragon. "There was somethin' big happenin' in our clan. People were huntin' down this girl, and the two of us were protectin' her separately. Once all was said and done, I came across him in Kamurocho. Since then, we've had our fights, drank together, even did stupid stuff like bowling or karaoke." 

Despite how happy might've sounded, Yang clearly heard the hint of sadness in Majima's voice. He really missed the man, given how he was frowning at the end. "...guess it's gonna be lonely again without him." He lifted his cigarette to his lips, taking a small drag. 

"Again? Did he leave you when he went to Beacon?"

"Yeah, damn bitch just told me one day and left. Hurt like hell, but I knew he was listening to orders, so I couldn't be too mad at him."

Wow, if only it were that easy between her and Blake. It wasn't though, Blake left of her own accord, deciding to abandon her friends for the sake of _protecting_ them. Yang gazed up at him, oddly admiring his relationship with Kiryu. "I'm kinda jealous of you two..."

"Huh?" Blinking as he heard her words, Majima stopped himself mid-drag to face the blonde staring at the floor. She was quiet, looking up to the space before her. "I mean, how Kiryu got up and walked away, yet you just went after him. Sure you were mad, but you got over it quickly. Me and Blake? We can't have that... she made her choice, and I was hurt." Her face began to look hurt, knowing she was left behind again after time and time again. 

The Mad Dog quickly took notice, deciding to rest his arm upon Yang's shoulder. In a way, it looked silly, but it was also his way of comforting her. maybe reassuring her he wasn't going to up and leave her. She turned to him, a smile coming to on her face. "Tired huh?"

"Yeah..."

"...Me too."

Things got quiet between them, with only the sounds of Majima blowing a smoke and the wind blowing against them. Yang couldn't help but to feel her chest warming up a bit. Cuddling Blake last night was nice, but it felt forced almost. Like it was one-sided, but with Majima? Just having his arm resting against her was playful almost. She couldn't help but to take his cigarette, smiling as she brought it to her lips.

"W-Wha-? Yo! Didn't your ma tell you not to steal?"

Taking in a drag, Yang blew out the smoke successfully, only to let out a light cough before turning towards him. "Fuck my mom, she can go suck a cock for all I care." Though playful and sassy, there was a hint of truth in there. 

Majima, who decided to take out another cigarette and lighter for himself, took a drag of his own before cutting the silence between the smokers. "Your ma... what'd she do?"

Yang's eyes began to narrow at the space before her, taking in another drag before deciding to speak. "She ran off when I was six, and left me to take care of Ruby when our dad was working. I recently just found her, leading a group of bandits after all these years. Said she had to stay and take care of her _family_..." Tapping the cigarette against the railing, she watched as the ashes fell onto the white snow. "...what a load of horseshit." 

The Mad Dog kept quiet, deciding to blow in his cigarette as the two stood there once again in silence. After some time, he gave out a sigh, deciding to wiggle his cigarette in his hand. "Are you just as mad at Blake as you are towards y'er mum?"

A short chuckle came out of her, doing the same with her cigarette. "Of course not. Sure, Blake did piss me off, but nothing compares to having your own mom run away. If anything, I'm not really mad at Blake anymore."

"How come?"

"I dunno, seeing you push her around and yelling at her, it makes me feel... well both happy and sad." Yang knew it was shameful, to have her own best friend be harassed by Majima, while at the same time feeling upset knowing someone was getting bullied. "Its like, you're venting out my frustration at her... know what I mean?"

Hearing her words, Majima began to nod. "...yeah, like I was the only one with the guts to say somethin'-"

"Well not really _that._ Its more like... you just did what nobody would normally do. Not that its good, but its only natural once you're frustrated." Turning to her cigarette, Yang watched as the fire began to burn the rest of the stick. "...besides, what if I'm just being a bitch for feeling mad at her? Don't you think that?" 

Her eyes turned to his, waiting for some sort of answer to her question. Majima could only sigh in response. Nothing but an empty thought came to mind. There wasn't an answer to their behavior, the frustrations they felt. It was like they needed some sort of clue to justify their feelings. 

He began to tap his cigarette across the railing, watching as the ashes fell. "Honestly, y'er askin' the wrong guy. I ain't got all the answers. All I know is we're human, and its natural for us to feel this way when someone you care about just ups and leaves ya. At the end of the day, we're really just lookin' out for ourselves..."

"Ourselves... right..." Maybe she was being selfish in all this. Yang knew that deep down, she was no better of a person than Blake was. She gently patted the Mad Dog's shoulder, a smile coming to her face. "You know, that loan shark's words really did hit me yesterday." 

"What'd ya mean?" Majima raised a brow, wondering if it was about what he said at the bar last night. Yang began to push herself off the railing, hands tucked into her pockets. "I think despite how angry we are, its not worth losing anyone. I'm mad at her, sure... but I'm just so grateful she came back to us. I..." A heavy breath came out of her, knowing she was going to take the first leap of moving forward. All the anger, the frustrations, she was tired of it, and she was content with leaving it behind if it meant she could feel happier in the slightest. "I'm gonna go apologize to her. Could you, do the same?"

Now that was an odd request. He felt bothered with the idea, looking away from the blonde to take another drag. Yang stared at him, waiting for the man to give answer. She kept this up, knowing it was just going to make the Mad Dog more uncomfortable as time passed by. Eventually he gave in. "...Alright! Alright! I'll go say sorry... just stop starin' at me. Shit's creepy."

Letting out a short laugh at how he reacted, Yang began to walk to the door. "Alright mister, once I'm done, I'll let you know. Okay?" 

"Yeah yeah..." He pouted, only to blush when he noticed a wink coming from her. ("...tch, great. Now I gotta get on my knees and say I'm sorry...") 

* * *

Yang stood outside the restroom, where she could hear Blake crying. Everything in her just felt horrible. Her stomach churned, knowing she was partially responsible for Blake's frustrations. She was hurting like her, yet all she did was make things worst for her best friend. 

"Blake?" Knocking on the door, she swallowed a nervous gulp. Deep down, she could tell Blake was going to be mad at her, and she deserved every ounce of it. The door to the restroom opened. The faunus stood there, shivering and sniffling as she looked to the blonde's boots. Only a worried look came onto Yang's face as she took in what she saw. Her best friend was hurting badly, and she was being comforted by Ruby and Weiss. Only she herself was missing from the team. 

Looking away for a moment, Yang knew what she was about to ask was selfish of her. "Can we... talk, just you and I? There's a lot I'd prefer to say if it were just us two."

Blake wiped her eyes, sniffling as she crossed her arms. "...I suppose... that's fine." She turned to Ruby and Weiss, stepping aside to let them walk outside. Once they were out, Yang closed the door behind her before leaning against it. Things were quiet, and heavy. That small bathroom felt tight despite how it was just her and Blake. 

Finally after some time, the blonde opened her mouth. "...I wanted to apologize." That made the faunus' ears perk up. Her head tilted up, amber eyes gazing at her friend in a concerned manner. Yang felt her throat bob, knowing how intense this was going to be for her. "...I'm sorry I acted like a dick to you. I... didn't know how else to feel when I first saw you after all that time."

Blake remained silent, her eyes looking away before turning back when Yang spoke up. "I was honestly jealous... seeing you with him, it made me wish that could've been us." Hearing Yang say that, it made Blake's heart flutter. She knew Yang had feelings for her, but she couldn't pin the blame on someone when they weren't around. She ran after all.

"I know you must be hurting a lot, thinking you're the reason why he isn't around anymore, right?" 

Her words struck a chord, making the faunus shiver from the emotions that were building up. She nodded, biting her lip to suppress a cry. It sucked to see her hurting like this. Deep down it was all an accident twisted to feel like it was intentional. Yang knew Blake wouldn't do that to someone she cared about. She wouldn't kill. That's why this must've hurt, because it was possibly a huge betrayal not only to her team, but to herself. 

"You didn't kill him, I know that very much." Yang's comment was enough to make Blake say something for the first time. "...b-but I did. I wasn't looking, and-"

"No. You didn't. He was protecting you, I... would've done the same thing, any of us would." 

Still, it was hard for her to move on. Blake felt empty inside, a hand clutching her chest as she choked out a tear. All the battles they went through, from Beacon to Menagerie, seeing him go out like that made her feel like it was a festivity cut short. Yang approached her, wrapping her arms around the other's shoulders before bringing her in close. It was at this point Blake began to let out her tears. They were loud, and carried a lot of the pain she was holding inside her.

Yang bit her lip, feeling how intense Blake's emotions were. How she was warm, shaking, and clinging tight to her, it was enough to cause the blonde to tear up, but she would hide it. She needed to be there for the faunus, no matter how much it hurt knowing she would never get intimate with her. She'd never get to hold her hands, kiss her, or even get married. No. Blake had those feelings for someone else. It hurt her, and she wanted to cry, but now wasn't the time. 

After calming herself down, Yang moved away to face Blake, who's face was once again a mess. 

"I... I really miss him... it hurts... knowing he's gone..."

There was nothing to be done, but Yang wanted to keep things hopeful. It was going to hurt, but it was for the best. "No he's not." Blake looked up, blinking in doubt. "...What?"

"I said what I said. He's not gone. Just missing." A smile came to her face, hands on hips as she stood up tall. "You told me that he fought against Adam, and he helped you save Menagerie. You think being knocked off a train is enough to kill him?"

Blake shook her head, palm rubbing against her eye. "N-No... but the storm..."

"Yeah, but who knows? Maybe someone found him and took him to some cabin? You never know with these things. So keep your chin up, okay? He's probably beaten us to Argus and is waiting for us. You never know." 

Yang would move the tips of her fingers below Blake's chin, helping to tilt it upwards with a smile on her face. "Stay strong, okay? I'm here to support you and him, and I won't be mad anymore, I promise."

Sniffling any tears that were left, the ravenette would nod as she gave Yang a smile. "...T-Thank you... for last night."

"Huh?" Blinking in confusion, Yang only caught on after a few seconds of awkward silence. A blush came to her cheeks, only to have herself pull away before waving her hands in front of her. _O-Oh!_ That! I was... just listening to Akiyama's words... he should be the one getting thanked, not me..." 

Scratching the back of her head, Yang would let out a short chuckle before relaxing herself. "I... better go check on breakfast, so I'll give you some space, 'kay?"

"...Okay, thank you."

Exiting the bathroom, Yang calmly closed the bathroom before heading downstairs. Majima was still waiting in front of the house, smoking another cigarette. 

("How many has it been? He must've smoked like four by now.") Approaching the door, Yang waved at him to catch his attention. "Yo, chimney. Your turn to go say sorry."

"Huh? Chimney?"

"You know! Because you smoke alot!" She spat out a laugh as Majima growled at her. "Tch, whatever, where's she at? Upstairs?"

Giving a nod, Yang stepped aside as she held the door open for him. Once he walked inside, the blonde watched as he made his way up the steps to the second floor. Now that she could go someplace to relax, the blonde felt her emotions building up. She made her way to the bar, opposite of the kitchen where everyone was eating. Immediately her emotions kicked in when she took a seat on one of the stools. She was alone, giving her the freedom to let out her tears. Sobs of someone who felt like they had to let their loved one go filled the silence of the empty pub. It hurt, knowing she was never going to have Blake's love. Having to let go hurt differently than watching someone leave. It didn't feel the same, but still carried a lot of pain with it. It was a conscious choice she made, for the sake of keeping her best friend happy. Maybe in another timeline where Kiryu didn't exist, Yang would have been in a relationship with Blake. 

* * *

Standing before the bathroom door, things felt awkward and lost. He wasn't sure what he was going to say as he held his fist in the air, ready to knock. He was only doing this because the blonde convinced him to. 

Before he could knock, Majima noticed the bathroom door opening, with Blake peeking out a little. It caused him to become flustered for a moment, but not enough to lose his cool. "...sorry."

She blinked in confusion, not hearing what the Mad Dog just muttered. "...Huh?"

"I... said I'm sorry." His gaze was turned away, a clear look of remorse on his face. It wasn't going to earn him any chance of forgiveness. He had yelled at her, he pushed her, hell he had the desire throw a snowball at her face when she wasn't expecting it, all because he was angry. Angry that Kiryu was gone, and he lashed it out on her when she was hurting just as much, if not more, than him.

Blake watched his expression, only to become a bit surprised when the Mad Dog got onto his hands and knees, head pressed against the floorboards. "What are you-"

"Please, accept my apology... I shouldn't have yelled at you, nor pushed you. All my anger, I lashed it out onto you when I had no right doing so. So please... accept it."

His words, it was clear how he was asking for acceptance. It was a little odd hearing his more calm, demeanor personality. Still, she understood Majima was remorseful of his actions. A soft sigh came out of her, followed by eyes looking down on him. "Get up." 

She sounded authoritative, something Majima was far too used to hearing back when he was in the clan. He looked up, slowly standing back on his feet before watching the faunus rubbing her forehead. "I accept your apology..."

"Really? Then-"

"But I can't forgive you."

He felt a shock coming through him, but there was no way he'd retaliate. He understood why she couldn't forgive him. Blake's eyes held discomfort and anger towards him. "You kept pushing and neglecting to talk when I tried to help you. We're both hurting, I get it... but it does neither of us any good when you put me down like that. Your anger shouldn't blind you, yet you let it... so I can't forgive you."

It sucked. It really sucked. All he did was make things worst, and now she was going to keep herself at a distance, just like he did. Stepping back so she could exit the restroom, Majima gazed at the inside when Blake passed by him. There was nothing more to be said. He had fucked it up for himself, and now he was going to have to live with it. 

Clicking his tongue, the Mad Dog ventured downstairs to the pub instead of the kitchen. He wasn't hungry, just thirsty for a drink.

Pushing the door open, he'd notice Yang was sitting there at the counter, her head buried into her arms. Sure enough, he took a seat right beside her, noticing the half-filled bottle of whiskey in her hand. 


	7. Into Darkness

With breakfast done, there was nothing to do except to wait for Oscar to repair the blown out tire on the wagon. Akiyama stood by the doorframe of the front door, watching as the farm boy went to work. A deep breath came out of him, worried about the mental state of everyone. Qrow was drunk and whiny, Yang and Majima were both upset and getting wasted in the pub next door, Blake and Weiss were sitting there on the couches with bored looks on their faces. The only people who seemed normal were Ruby and Maria. 

He slowly approached the older woman, leaning down to see what she was reading. "What'cha reading there, granny?"

"Just some old journals left behind by the owner of this farm. Bartleby. So far, he's been writing how the farm struggled with the expenses, thus he had to cut the need for huntsmen."

Pursing his lips, Akiyama felt bad for the people here. "Sounds terrible, maybe they ran out of money to afford food, and starved themselves to sleep."

"It would appear so, but this is barely the fifth journal out of eight he has." Rocking in her chair, a noticeable sigh came out of Maria. It was enough to tell the loan shark she might've found out something bad. "...Everything alright?"

She gave a nod, smiling at the man. "Of course, dear. Its just... sad to hear what happened to these people." A sense of worry came over her, unaware Akiyama may be the only person in this household with a clue of what's going on. 

"Hey, mind if I ask you something serious?"

"Well we can't be any less serious than we are now. Go on, ask away."

With an unsure look, the loan shark swallowed his doubts before gazing back at the older lady. "I heard something, coming beneath the floorboards. Like moaning, or just breathing."

Mechanical eyes began to open wider than usual, a look of thought appearing over her face. "Is that so? Where exactly did you hear the noise?"

"In the pub. There's a door leading down to the cellar, but I was honestly scared to open it. Hell... I've never felt so cold before til that very moment. It was like those doors are hiding something." He slowly stood up, frowning from what he may have been sleeping above last night.

Maria could only cup her chin in response. "If you want, we can explore the cellar. The journals mentioned there's actually water tunnels beneath the farm." 

He had to shake his head, waving his hand as he stepped back. "Oh! No, you can't go. I'll go alone just in case."

"Just in _case?!"_ Her voice turned from sweet to sour, eyes glaring at him. "Are you brain dead or something? What if you get killed down there?!" Akiyama felt himself growing nervous, letting out a nervous chuckle as he rubbed the back of his head. "Heheh... I... uh... yeah, I guess you can come."

Standing off her seat, Maria grabbed the cane resting by the wall next to her before turning towards Ruby, Weiss, and Blake. "You three, stand up! We're going to the cellar.

"Huh? Why do we have to go?" Weiss spoke up, clearly uninterested. Blake simply stared, cheek resting against her hand while Ruby stood up. "Come on you two, we really don't have anything better to do. Besides... maybe we can find out what happened here."

With simultaneous groans, the other two stood up before following Ruby to the pub. Akiyama would lead the way, stepping into the bar where Qrow, Majima, and Yang were all having drinks. They were clearly drunk, unable to speak right as mumbles came out their mouths.

"Yang? Are you _seriously_ having a drink right now?!" Ruby glared in annoyance as she grabbed her sister's shoulder, shaking her gently before being shrugged off. The blonde turned her head away, burying her face into her arms. "...Leave me alone..."

"This isn't the time to have drinks, get up!"

She didn't budge though. Before Ruby could shake her, the loan shark had to put a hand to her shoulder, head shaking to let her know it was useless. Of course, all it was make the redhead become scared, wondering if her sister was turning to alcohol to cope with whatever she was feeling.

"These three are pretty much beat, seems like whatever's making them depressed is likely gonna happen to us. Look at Blake and Weiss for example, notice their eyes?" Akiyama pointed at the two. Their lack of response reinforced his given theory, which only made Ruby feel worst. "...W-What's going on? Everyone seems so... depressed."

Turning to the cellar, Akiyama began to open the lock before pulling the doors open. "Whatever's down here... that'll be our answer."

"Are you sure?"

For a moment, he hesitated to answer. "...I have to be. Ain't know way I can suddenly feel like giving up my dream." He turned to Ruby, a look of determination was plastered over him. He knew whatever made him want to stop helping people, to give up the dream to help the city of Mantle, Akiyama was going to give them some payback. 

Carefully he began to head down the steps, taking out his scroll when he realized it was too dark to see. Upon lighting up the area, the loan shark noticed two things: a bunch of barrels stacked together, and a cracked hole in the wall. "...Looks clear down here! Come on down."

Hearing his words, Ruby nervously made her way down the steps into the basement, followed by Maria, Blake, then Weiss. Each girl, except Maria, took out their scroll to light up the area. Oddly enough, the fear of whatever was in the darkness made Blake and Weiss return to normal. "S-So... what are we looking for?" The faunus had to ask, keeping close to the ex-heiress.

Akiyama carefully stepped into the water, ignoring how cold it made his feet. "Dunno, but when I see it..." He took out a handgun, the barrel modded to be extended for stronger shots. "...I'm going to kill it."

"A-Are you sure? What if its a Grimm?" Weiss made sure to keep up with the group, heels strutting in the water as she tried to refrain from looking behind her. Akiyama could only smile casually, holding his scroll up with his handgun beneath like any cop would. "Doubt it'll be something big. Just the way it sounded, it had to be small, or skinny. I dunno."

The water tunnels were dark, with nothing but cold water flooding the floor. Each step splashed at their ankles, further increasing the cold they felt. The loan shark knew it was going to become unbearable at some point. As he walked, he'd notice various cracks and dead end paths were appearing the further deep the group walked in. In a sense, it felt like a labyrinth almost.

"I don't think we're going to find whatever we're looking for... I mean, we don't even know how it looks like." Blake spoke up, deciding to stop moving as she began to feel pessimistic about their situation. "Can we go back now?"

Knowing they were just wasting their time, Akiyama had to agree with the faunus. "Yeah... sorry for making you girls come down her-" Just as he looked up, there was a dark figure standing behind Blake. His eyes shot open, watching as the figure slowly reached its arm out towards the faunus. 

_"Blake!"_ Akiyama rushed to pull the girl behind him, holding his handgun in aim towards whatever was in front of him. There stood a Grimm, one that was skinny, fragile, and oddly resembled a sad skeleton. Before he could pull the trigger, the sound of a high-pitched scream came out of the creature. It shook everyone to the core, forcing their will to fade away. 

The loan shark fell back against the water, his vision blurry and hearing faded as he tried to make sense of what was going on. "...h-hey... what just..."

The firing of a bullet shot over him, forcing the Grimm to stumble back before a pair of hands grabbed him. Blake and Weiss were helping the man to his feet, both with scared looks on their faces. 

"Whatever that thing is, I think it was what we were looking for!" Weiss quickly grabbed the handgun at her feet that Akiyama was holding before firing a bullet at the creature's head. Fortunately it was weak enough to die from a regular bullet, but it didn't mean they were safe. The ex-heiress felt herself becoming hopeless as more Grimm of this kind began to appear from deeper in the tunnel.

Grabbing his gun from Weiss, the loan shark took aim as he used his scroll to light up his view. "Start moving, now!" 

The four ladies began rushing back to where they came from, meanwhile Akiyama stood behind a bit to land a few shots. Watching as they dropped dead easily, he knew these were a special kind of Grimm. "They're weak... but that scream..." He knew now wasn't the time to think about such thoughts. He had to run, otherwise these creatures were going to rip him apart. Quickly he turned to rush down the path he came from.

The girls were already far up ahead, leaving the loan shark to unfortunately fend for himself as he ran. "Hey! Where'd you girls go?!" 

As he cried out, Akiyama felt himself bumping against a taller figure. It was a shame, because whatever it was grabbed onto his arm and shoulder. "S-Shit!" Panic rushed over him, realizing he was caught by one of the Grimm. Luckily it didn't scream, but it had a rather tight grip. Trying to pull himself away, the loan shark struggled before he used his foot to pry himself out of its grip. Immediately he followed up with a gunshot to the head, putting down the creature that tried to kill him.

During his run, he spotted Blake's white trench coat up ahead on his path. "Hey! Wait-!"

Another loud screech halted his run, forcing the man to drop to his knee. All his will, the energy to keep moving was fading away. "N-No... not now..!" Gritting his teeth, the loan shark forced himself to stand back up, panting heavily when he managed. He turned his head around, noticing how quick the Grimm were to catch up. _"O-Oh shit..."_

Once more, he rushed where he saw Blake running to. Just as he made a turn, his eyes shot open from the view. They were back in the cellar, but now the Grimm were here. They stood packed next to the barrels of wine, slowly inching towards the group. He held up his handgun, firing a few bullet into the pack. A few went down, but more came back to replace what Akiyama managed to kill. "Son of a..!"

He looked forward at the stairs, noticing Weiss was struggling to open the doors to the cellar. 

"Weiss! Open it!" Ruby cried out, using her scythe to also fire at the Grimm closing in behind Akiyama. The ex-heiress panicked, unable to think of anything other than banging against the doors. "Its locked! Yang! Majima! Open the doors!" 

Blake on the other hand, dropped to the floor. She felt hopeless and tired, as if this was a comforting way to end her life. 

"Yo! Kitty cat! Get up!" Akiyama yelled at her, firing more bullets until a screech came of the Grimm. It sent him back down to his knee, followed by him laying flat on his chest. Every scream took away more of his energy to continue fighting. Everyone else seemed to be the same, all laying on the ground with exhaustion. 

Gazing at those ahead of him, the loan shark tried to crawl towards Blake, struggling with every pull he managed to move himself. A sudden sharp sting came to his left calf, causing him to let out a cry of pain. Turning his head, he'd notice one of the Grimm managed to sink its claw into his flesh. Blood seeped out, staining his calf. Akiyama wasted no time in moving his handgun to fire at the Grimm that stabbed him, saving himself for a brief moment as the creature disintegrated. 

He was stuck, now forced to lay on his back as he held his leg in pain. Helpless eyes gazed up at Ruby, who was watching him in fear. "...h-help me..." He muttered out, unaware how the Grimm were now inches away from sinking their claws into his body. 

Ruby could only reach her hand out, panicking as she watched the man before her about to be engulfed by the pack of Grimm that closed in on them. Her body shook with fear, seeing how another one of their claws reached down to stab his chest. Desperation took over her, wanting to save Akiyama before he could be killed. 

_"NOO!!"_

A bright flash of white light came from her eyes, followed by pained cries coming from the Grimm. The emptiness in their bodies vanished, air being breathed in heavily by each individual in the room.

"W-What just happened?" Blake blinked in confusion, gazing around her only to gasp when she spotted the loan shark bleeding on the ground. "Oh my god- A-Are you okay?!" She rushed over to him, seeing him shaking his head. She turned back to see Ruby panting as she was on her knees. "Ruby! Come on! We need to-"

Every fiber in her to move the loan shark vanished when she heard the screeches coming from the Grimm. It was worst this time, as every ounce of her will had vanished. She had given up right there on the spot, ready to die by the hands of these creatures. Only one thing came to mind upon forfeiting: She'd be able to see her lover in the afterlife. "...Kiryu..." She spoke with monotone, light now missing from her eyes. 

That same light came out of nowhere, bringing her back to normal. Lifting her head, she'd gaze around to see Akiyama laying flat on the floor, with Maria holding Ruby's head for some odd reason. All of the Grimm were gone, disintegrated by that mysterious white light while Weiss was holding onto the stairs to prevent herself from falling down, panting as she was exhausted. Quickly, the faunus rushed up the stairs to kick the doors open with one swift kick, breaking the lock that prevented the doors from opening. 

"W-Wow... you must have some powerful thighs." The ex-heiress was stunned from the move Blake just pulled, watching as she held the doors open for Ruby and the others. "S-Shut up and get everyone out of here." 

With a nod, Weiss helped to hold the other door open for the three that were climbing up the stairs. More Grimm were coming from behind as the three climbed out of the cellar. 

Turning his head, Majima raised a brow. "...the hell happened to you?" 

"G-Grimm... we've gotta move... _ngh_..." Struggling to walk as his left leg was injured, Akiyama held onto Ruby as she escorted him out of the house. Blake would approach the drunk blonde, pulling her away from the counter. "Come on, Yang! We gotta leave!"

"Just... one more sip-" 

Smacking her across the face, Blake grew impatient. "You can have one when we leave! Now _get up."_

Following her orders, Yang stood up as her hand was held, forcing her to stumble out of the house in an intoxicated state. Meanwhile, Weiss stayed behind to light a fire at the entrance of the cellar, much to Qrow's complaints before she dragged him out of there.

"Oscar! Start the engine!" Ruby cried out as she stepped out of the house with Akiyama, helping him onto the wagon first before sitting beside him. Majima had rushed out with everyone else, still drunk but not enough to not realize what was going on. He sat beside the loan shark, gazing at the bleeding wound he had.

"H-Ha... haha... how is it?" The loan shark smiled, clearly worried about his wound. Majima could only gulp, taking in a shaky breath. "...i-its okay."

Approaching the motorcycle, Blake moved Yang to the wagon instead of the bike. "Yo... I'm driving..." Yang spoke up, her voice sounding wet and messy. The faunus had to shake her head, her heart beating from how close they were to death. "No you're not, give me your keys."

"H-Hell no! I- _hic_ only get to-"

She wasn't going to argue with this lady. Blake reached into Yang's pockets to take out her keys before moving her towards the wagon. Finally, she'd quickly rush to the motorcycle, gazing at the mechanics of it. Already she felt anxious, not knowing how to operate such a vehicle. "O-Okay... the key goes here..."

Inserting the key into a slot, she'd turn it before watching nothing happen. "Oh no... h-how do I start this thing?!"

"Yo!" Majima waved from behind. " Turn the key and press the black button on the right handle." He'd point to which button to press. Blake would turn the ignition and press the button, starting up the engine. "O-Okay! Now what?"

"Pull that black lever on the left handle, that's the clutch. Hold it when you change gears on the shifter to your left foot. Should be the gray bar before where you rest ya foot!"

Gulping nervously, Blake turned her head to see everyone was on the wagon waiting for her to start driving. She faced forward, taking in a shaky breath. _"...please don't crash, please don't crash..."_

She'd kick the shifter into driving gear, finally moving the wagon and the motorcycle. "H-How do I speed up?"

"Pull _gently_ on the handle on your left hand. Gently!" 

Nodding her head, Blake felt her body shaking as she gently pulled the handle. The sudden acceleration startled her, causing Blake to let go for a moment before grabbing onto it once more. She'd gaze forward, watching where the path led to as she drove everyone out of the farm. She was scared, not used to driving any vehicle before. 

After some time of driving calmly, the anxiety died down, yet Blake was still shaky. She couldn't move her head, but she did worry about everyone's safety. "Are you guys okay?"

"Yeah! We're fine, you're driving good Blake." Ruby would answer for them, smiling as she tried to keep the faunus calm on her driving. She turned to Akiyama, who's leg was bandaged up by Weiss. She gave out a sigh of relief, though disgusted her hands were now bloodied. "...Great. Anyone have a rag I can use?"

Yang began to untie her purple band around her leg, sighing as she handed it to the ice princess. "H-Here... don't think I'll need it for a while..." Still drunk, Yang rested her head against Majima's shoulder. Her eyes would close as she felt nauseous. "Yo... make sure to take even breat-"

"...yeah yeah... just... let me relax..." She raised a hand to shut him up, not wishing to hear anyone's words right now.

Akiyama was breathing softly, shivering from how much the pain stung him. He barely managed to escape death, thanks to Ruby. "Yo... thanks for... whatever you did back there."

The redhead blinked in surprise, letting out a soft giggle as she scratched her head. "Oh, well... it sort of just happened honestly. We should really be thanking Maria for teaching me back there. She's the one who saved us."

"Oh it was nothing dear, just some... silly old trick I once could use." Giving out a sigh, the old lady felt her feet dangling off the wagon as they drove. In her hand was another journal from Bartleby. "You know, the creatures that attacked us, they're called the Apathy." Majima narrowed his eye at the older lady, wondering what she was talking about. He waited for her to speak up. 

She gave out a sigh, gazing at the sketch she noticed in the journal. "These creatures, they're not strong or fast, but they're dangerously contagious. They drain you of your will, to move on, to do anything, or even to get out of bed..."

Weiss felt herself growing scared at the truth, knowing she didn't want to get up this morning because of those things. She turned to face Akiyama, who was clearly bothered by them, and she knew why. "...You really hated those things, didn't you?" 

He gave a gentle nod, knowing they nearly took away his dream. "...Yeah. Glad I managed to take down a few of them." His eyes turned to focus on Maria, who decided to throw the book into the open snow, leaving it to be consumed by the winter's snow.

* * *

Time passed as the group rode down the snowy pathway. Things seemed quiet, and with Yang now sober, Blake was able to sit and reflect on what happened in the past 24 hours. She felt terrible knowing everyone was practically leaving him behind in the cold winter they were driving out of. She frowned, wondering what she was going to do without him. Her friends were there, but it didn't feel the same. It was like there was a hole cut into her she'd never be able to fill.

Her eyes gazed at the snowy trees they passed by, listening to Maria's story of how she was the original Grimm Reaper who had silver eyes until they were cut by an enemy. It wasn't something she exactly wanted to hear, but she heard it nonetheless. Moving her focus up to the sky, she'd watch as a bird flew by. How lucky they were, to be able to soar great distances without anything blocking their way. If she could fly, she would've tried finding him.

The sudden ringing of a scroll caught her attention, turning to see Ruby answering her scroll.

_"Ruby?! Oh thank god! I've been trying to reach you since your signal came back up!"_

"My... signal?"

It was at this point a gleam of hope reached everyone's heart. The city of Argus was finally in view. The city walls, the sunset hovering over them, and the landscape turning from snow to grass was a peaceful change they needed. For once, Blake and everyone else could breathe easily. 

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Argus." Yang had to announce before driving downhill to the city. She'd stop at a parking lot where she'd park her bike into a small garage. In the meantime, Akiyama was holding onto Majima, using him as a means of support. "Sorry, Majima... you think you can be my support for the time being? I'll make sure to throw some Lien your way."

The Mad Dog clicked his tongue, wrapping Akiyama's arm around his shoulders as a easier means of holding onto him. "Ain't gotta pay me to help you get somewhere to sit." His eyes turned to see Jaune, Nora, and Ren all approaching the team in a rush of happiness. Seeing Nora pouncing Oscar, to Ren and Jaune normally hugging the teammates was a sweet view to enjoy. Yet somehow, they felt like outsiders, especially the loan shark.

"Must feel weird seein' them smilin' and huggin' one 'nother, huh?"

As much as he didn't want to admit, the loan shark had to agree. "...Yeah. I don't really have anyone. Its just me." That response, Majima gazed at him with a look of pity. "...Well damn. Here you are, goin' off to Mantle on y'er own with no help. Must take some big balls huh?"

"Yeah, I guess so." Akiyama gave out a short laugh before noticing Team JNPR approaching him. "Hey, seems like you're doing well, Majima. What about this guy? Who's he?"

"Ah, him. He's uh... he joined us when that old lady stepped into the scene." 

"I see... what about Kiryu? Any luck?"

That question, it hurt him knowing Kiryu wasn't here. Jaune, Ren, and Nora all gazed at each other with frowns before looking down.

"Sorry... it must be hard."

"We didn't mean to bring up a bad memory."

"Please forgive us."

Letting out a small groan, Majima began to scratch the back of his head, knowing anymore of this apologizing was going to piss him off. "Look, it's alright. Let's just get to town and grab a meal, I'm starvin'!"

Fortunately for him, Jaune smiled with a place in mind. "Very well then, follow us!" As Jaune led the team to the inside of the city, everyone would gaze at the city of Argus. Buildings were built on a slope, the snowy climate left building railings covered in snow, as if it were christmas. Because of the slope, trollies that levitated off the ground were a common means of transport. The environment itself was peaceful and held opportunity. People from Mantle came to Argus to live a better life when Mistral failed to migrate people. Overall, the city itself felt peaceful, except for the Atlas Military that no longer held trade between the two nations steadily.

Hearing the explanation from Ruby's friends about Argus, Majima wanted to ask about that last bit until the trolley came to a stop. Everyone hopped off, now on foot as they needed to find a place to go and rest up in.

"We should probably find a place to stay." Blake gazed around, wondering if any hotels were nearby. She turned to see Jaune, who had something to say based off that odd face he was making. It was like he was going to say something embarrassing. "What is it?"

"Well... we already found a place." Just as the trolley moved away from the parking space, a blonde woman was seen standing across the street, waving at them. "Hi Jaune!"

"Is that... your sister?" Ruby felt her eyes about to pop open, was she _finally_ meeting one of Jaune's many sisters?! This was exciting!

On the other hand, Majima and Akiyama felt unsure, given the Mad Dog's intimidating appearance and the Loan Shark's injury. It didn't feel comfortable for both men. Nora turned to the two, smiling at them. "Come on now! You two have to smile! You can finally rest up!"

"Y-Yeah... but..." Scratching his neck, Majima felt uncomfortable somehow. 

"...It wouldn't look nice if either of us went to her place. W-We can rent a motel!" Akiyama tried to suggest, only to feel his head being flicked at by the heiress. "Oh no you don't! You're injured, and I doubt Majima can properly take care of you." Ouch, what a way to burn the Mad Dog.

Everyone followed Jaune and his sister to her home, located at one of the houses in the suburbs. Though hesitant, the two men stepped inside behind everyone else. Already they felt the urge to leave upon the sight of a baby present in this household. 

("...Oh _fuck_ no! A child?!")

("Babies... great. The last thing I need to healing my leg.")

Letting out simultaneous sighs, the two walked over to one of the seats so Akiyama could rest his leg. Majima had to stick around, knowing Yang would probably get upset if he got up and left because of a baby, Still, to see the blonde settling in and playing with the baby was an odd, but heartwarming sight to see. 

Weiss took her seat besides Yang, smiling as she gazed over the cuteness of the child. "Oh my _gosh_ , he's _so_ cute!"

"I know right? I could just eat him up!"

"Oh Yang, relax. You wouldn't."

Ruby and Blake watched as their friends interacted with the child, both smiling from the wholesome moment they were seeing. Turning her gaze at Blake, Ruby felt her mouth opening to ask, but immediately refrained, knowing bringing up Kiryu was just inappropriate. 

"So, are you the only Arc living here?" Blake asked, hand on her hip as she gazed at the blonde teasing her baby brother. It was clear it was funny to everyone except Jaune. Saphron, one of the Arcs, smiled as she released her brother's cheeks. "Yep! I moved out the second I could. Jaune and I are the only kids to move out of our parents' home." Turning to Jaune, she'd resume playing with his face before the front door opened, cutting off their teasing.

With a smile, Saphron stood up to present the woman entering with a bag of groceries. "Everyone, this is my wife Terra-Cotta!" The darker woman smiled, setting her bags on the kitchen counter. "Why hello there! I didn't know we'd be having this many guests, now it feels like a party. Hon, can I get some help please?"

"Right! Make yourselves cozy everyone!" As Saphron stood up, she calmly rushed over to the kitchen, leaving her baby Adrian to be with the guests. Yang held him up, holding the baby close to the Mad Dog. "Look! Isn't he cute?"

Staring at the baby who gave him a small pout, Majima could only scowl in discomfort. "...yeah, he's cute alright..."

Akiyama gazed at the child, giving him a small hand wave before the baby waved back. "Heh, he's a cute little fella, ain't he?"

"Yeah, he is. Have you two thought about having kids?" Weiss just had to ask that, the question no man wanted to hear. Both of them began to move their seats, seemingly unsure of the idea. 

"...er, I guess? Never thought much 'bout it..."

"I... wouldn't exactly call myself _daddy_ material in that department..."

Yang would set the child down before taking a seat besides Majima, smiling as Weiss began to play with Adrian's arms. "Well, I wouldn't mind having kids, they're cute."

The Mad Dog gazed at her, a seemingly upset look appeared on his face before he stood up. It was enough to throw off the blonde who watched him walk towards the front door. "Majima? Where are you going?"

He didn't respond. Just as he was about to reach the front door, Saphron would catch him trying to leave. "Nuh uh! Lunch is almost ready!"

"Its fine, I'm just goin' out for a smoke."

"Very considerate of you to do it outside, just knock when you want to come back in." Terra would begin preparing a plate as Saphron finished making the sandwiches. In the meantime, Yang gazed at Blake, a worried look plastered over her. "...Was it something I said?"

Shrugging her shoulders, the faunus wasn't sure of the question herself. "I don't know, but you can always ask him." Yang nodded, deciding it was best to not think too much about it. It was odd how he stood up and left after she said she wanted kids. Maybe he had a bad experience with them?

The two wives would return to the living room, setting a plate of sandwiches piled upon another onto the coffee table between everyone. "Eat up, everyone! Lunch is finally ready!" 

Grabbing a hold of a sandwich, Akiyama smiled as he began to bite into the snack. The sweetness of mayo, the juiciness of the ham, and the taste of bread was enough to make him feel like he was at home. His body sunk into the couch, letting his eyes close as he ate. He listened as Terra asked about Qrow letting hunting students being able to legally join him on a mission.

"Oh! Uh... consider it an extension program. I'm a professor myself, but these kids are a lot better than us hunters when we were their age. Except me of course, nobody can do better than-"

"Shut up and eat, Uncle Qrow!" Ruby stuffed a sandwich into his hands, silencing the man as she began to eat her sandwich.

As for Saphron, she'd gaze at Akiyama, noticing his suit attire differed from everyone else. "What about you, Akiyama was it? What do you do? Since you don't seem like a hunter yourself."

Hearing the question being directed towards him, the man leaned in a bit as he slouched. It was his usual sitting position, emphasizing that laidback personality of his. "Well, I... I'm trying to become a loan shark in Mantle."

"Mantle?" Terra would cut in. "Why there? You could do much better here."

A sigh came out his lips, knowing that question was something he'd been asked a thousand times. "I'm just going there to help people to turn their lives around. That's all." He wasn't in much of a mood to explain the full details, so he resumed eating his sandwich as a way to silently tell the ladies not to dive further into his career.

Turning to Blake, Terra gave her a smile. "...and that man who walked out earlier, who was he? A friend of your's?" With her ears perking up, the faunus wasn't sure how to answer that. She wasn't exactly on good terms with Majima. "He's... my significant other's best friend." Just the way she sounded, it wasn't happy. It was like she was hiding back some emotions she managed to keep in control. 

"Your... significant other." The woman just had to dive deeper into that subject. "Where is he, if you don't mind me asking?"

Hugging her arm, her cat ears fell as she looked to the ground. It was something she didn't feel comfortable speaking about. Terra gulped as she waved her hands. "O-Oh dear, you can forget I asked that! I didn't mean to-"

"N-No its fine! Really... he's... just not here anymore, I think." Part of her wanted to cling onto the hope that Kiryu was still alive, the other part needed her to accept the worst had happened and he succumbed to the winter's cold. "...I'm just... trying to move forward, you know?"

With a nod, Terra held that look of guilt on her face. The room already began to feel heavy at the mention of their fallen comrade, all who presumed he was dead. Ruby stood up, smiling at the faunus. "Its okay, Blake." She needed to be there for her friend. It was the only way to prevent this woman from falling into the abyss of darkness and depression. "You have us around."

Though it didn't seem like she cared, the faunus was grateful for her friend's words of charity. "Right... thank you." She took out her scroll, opening up the contacts to see the signal on Kiryu's scroll. 

No bars. Nothing was present to show he was active anymore, and it hurt. She blew out a shuddering breath, the aching in her chest returned as she felt nothing but an empty hole. He was the only puzzle piece that fit, and he was gone. 

* * *

**30 hours earlier...**

Snow blew down on the back of his head. Nothing but the sound of air moving heavily brought the unconscious man out of darkness. His face was freezing, skin red from how cold it was. His teeth began banging against each other, a reaction from the snow's freezing temperature. Bare hands struggled to stop hurting, the sharpness of the cold made him unable to stand up so easily. 

His dress shoes didn't help either. Snow had enter inside, causing his feet to freeze. His slacks gave him no armor, letting the cold hit his legs easily without a struggle. Every part of him felt cold, stinging with a hint of pain as he was beginning to freeze from hypothermia. The storm was no merciful god. It was going to bury Kiryu in its freezing weather, forcing him to start moving from where he had landed.

("...w-where am I..? How long was I out..?") He thought to himself, shivering as he hugged his body to stay warm. Eyes gazed around him, noticing the train tracks were far uphill yet unoccupied. ("...That's right... I shoved Blake and that Grimm, it... knocked me off.")

His eyes opened up, realizing the terror he suddenly felt. 

"No... No, no no. _O-Oi!!"_ He shouted, hoping to get someone's attention. _"OI!! Can anyone hear me?!"_

No response. No callbacks. Nothing. He was utterly alone, and stranded. His heart began racing, taking out his scroll to see if he could call anyone. ("...please give me a signal.")

There were no bars, leaving him with no means of contacting anyone. "God... _dammit!!"_ He was frustrated, already it seemed like he was truly helpless. "...I-I gotta find shelter... this storm, it's going to kill me..."

Step by step, Kiryu felt nothing but cold air blowing against him as he walked, every step crunching against the endless amount of snow. His cheeks were stinging, head bowed to avoid getting anymore air pushed against his face. 

Every few minutes, the Dragon would shout out to give away his location, hoping someone would hear him. 

_"OI!!"_

_"Can anyone hear me?!!"_

_"I'm stranded! Help me!"_

Every attempt felt more and more useless, with hope fading away after every shout. Dropping to his knees, Kiryu would punch a tree beside him to vent his frustration. His teeth gritted, coming to accept that he was on his own.

Before he could stand, a huge pile of snow fell upon him from above, presumably hanging on a tree branch until he had shaken it unintentionally. 

It left him feeling worst than before, his body struggled to move. Every bit of movement made his skin sting from the piles of snow that managed to dig its way into his clothes, freezing him even more. He struggled to stand, feeling nothing but the icy touch of snow running down his body.

("...gotta... find shelter... but where..?")

As he walked, the storm blew heavier, making it harder to see what was in front of him by a few feet. 

("...I can't see... its hard to tell where I'm going...")

His steps became slower, his legs closed together as he stood in place, desperate to find a hint of warmth from the monstrous storm that attacked him. Roars of Grimm were nearby, making him feel all the more weak and helpless.

Dropping to his knees, Kiryu began to whimper. He was going to fade away here, alone in the wilderness, never to be found. He offered his life to protect Blake, and here he was paying the price. He'd never get to see her again. Majima, Yang, especially Haruka. He was suppose to meet up with her once this was all done, yet it felt like that promise was going to be broken. 

Never had he felt so scared, and it caused his body to fall forward against the snow. 

("...I'm s-sorry... Haruka...")

His eyes felt heavy, blinking as he saw a silhouette of a little girl walking towards him from the fog before him.

("...H-Haruka..?")

He blinked once more, now seeing that the figure had changed to someone with cat ears and long hair. 

("...Who... is that..?")

Finally his eyes began to close, deciding it was time to accept his fate. He had come all this way, from Kamurocho, to Beacon, to Menagerie, all to die alone in a cold, isolated world.

"You can finally rest now." Nishiki told him.


	8. Solitude

Everything around him was purple, as if he was in a different world he didn't remember stepping foot into. He was back at Beacon, except people he was once close to were standing in front of him. Each of their faces smiled towards him, as if they were proud of what he had done. It was odd, yet peaceful, as if all his worries were gone, and he had everyone he cared about. Birds were chirping, and the air was breezing in a calm but gentle manner that hugged his head..

His body was warm, and slowly began to move towards the first person on his left: Blake Belladonna.

_"Hey, Kiryu."_

She stood there smiling as she wore her white coat and her long purple boots. Her cat ears were exposed, while amber eyes gazed at him in a manner that brought him comfort.

Kiryu couldn't help but to reflect on his relationship and experience with each of these people he called _family._

"Blake, the first student to approach me when I arrived here at Beacon. To think I came this far because our paths crossed. I would have never thought of where I was going when we met. I was hurt when she left me after the Fall of Beacon, and I chased after her to Menagerie, where we took down the Three Captains and the White Fang. I didn't expect to fall in love with her, nor to fight her ex-mentor, Adam Taurus. We were suppose to go to Argus together... until I was knocked off that train."

The breeze grew slightly heavier just after his thoughts on meeting Blake. It was so lovely to see her smiling at him, but he had other people to see. Stepping to the right, Kiryu's eyes laid upon the next person he'd walk up to: Akira Nishikiyama.

_"Yo, Kiryu."_

He wasn't the same as he last remembered seeing Akira, no. This man had his hair down, a much friendlier face that wanted to fight for his buddy's sake. He wore that white coat with a black shirt and slacks underneath, just before he had went to prison to take Nishikiyama's fall.

"Nishikiyama, my oath brother who I swore to protect and never let him get hurt. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when I was in prison, but I knew your sister was ill. I tried to do what's best for us, but instead I lost you, Kazama, and Yumi... I hope you're doing okay, brother."

His head felt the breeze pushing him slightly forward, onto the next person he'd reflect his experience with: Shintaro Kazama.

_"Hello, Kiryu."_

This man was his adoptive father, despite being responsible for the death of his biological parents. Still, it was Kazama that raised him like any father should, and set the dream Kiryu had to join the Yakuza.

"Kazama, I don't know if you expected me to go on some grand adventure like this, but its because of you I joined the yakuza, and went to Beacon. If it weren't for you, I don't know who I would've become. I can't thank you enough... I miss you."

His body was pushed once more by the breeze, this time with more force and magnitude that ushered him to speak to the next person: Goro Majima.

_"Yo, Kiryu-Chan."_

The Mad Dog had his snakeskin jacket on, with no shirt underneath to expose his abs and tattoos on his shoulders. The man wore an eyepatch with a silver snake lined onto it, a bright smile directed towards him.

"Goro Majima, the Mad Dog of Shimano. No matter how many times we fight, I still can't get a read on you. Besides that, I owe it to you for helping me keep my chin up. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been able to see Komaki and defeat Adam. Maybe fate had intended for us to become rivals and friends."

The breeze grew heavy, now impatient for Kiryu to keep moving forward. He stepped up to the next person: Haruka Sawamura.

_"Hi, Uncle Kaz!"_

She was young, at the age of 9 yet she was such a strong girl. She was the main reason he was able to keep moving forward. After losing all of his loved ones, Haruka was the light to the darkness he lived in after the Ten Billion Lien Incident.

"Haruka, I owe so much to you for keeping me alive. I thought I had lost it all, but you kept me from losing the will to go on. I promised to you and your mother that I would raise you as my own daughter. I promise, I will come back to Sunflower and take you under my care."

It was daunting, and rather surprising by how enormous the breeze grew. It moved Kiryu to the last batch of people: his friends from Beacon.

"Yang, Weiss, Ruby, Jaune, Ren, Nora, Pyrrah. You were the first friends I ever made, despite my status as an ex-yakuza. I was scared to lose the people who helped me get settled in the academy, but I'm grateful that none of you pushed me away. I was already an outsider, but you helped convince me that I wasn't."

It was time to go from wherever this dream world was, where everyone was gathered together here before him, smiles on their faces. A bright light stood before him, right before the fountain in the center of the courtyard. He didn't know where this light was going to take him: maybe to the afterlife, or someplace new. Wherever it was, he would be content with it. Slowly, his legs began moving into the light, his view now engulfed by a world of light.

  


* * *

  


Fire cracked as the wood burnt beneath a metal pot. The contents insides were being cooked: meat, potatoes, vegetables, and the broth meant to bring this dish a world of flavor. Whoever was cooking it must've saved him, because Kiryu sure as hell didn't remember entering someone's cabin. 

His eyes slowly opened, head turning slightly to see the brightness of the fire burning beneath the metal pot. Kiryu began to narrow his eyes, focusing on the back of a man who was sitting there, stirring the soup.

He wanted to get up and move, but his body ached in pain. _"...Ngh."_ His teeth gritted, knowing he was too weak to move out of bed.

"Stay still... you got frostbites all over 'ya." The words came out of the man before him, sounding grizzly and old as if he had history of experience and wisdom sitting in that head of his. He took a bowl, deciding it was feeding time as he poured the soup's contents inside. Carefully, the old man scooted towards Kiryu, holding a spoon as he sat besides his guest. "Must be hungry, ain't 'ya?"

Whoever this guy was, he had a stoic expression on his face, yet he was obviously trying to take care of him. "...y-yeah..." 

"A'ight then... open your mouth, I'll feed 'ya."

The next ten minutes were just what he needed. Eating a hot soup restored the warmth in his body, his energy was restored as he felt the food sitting in his stomach. A satisfied sigh came out of Kiryu, who's belly felt full after sitting empty like a void. He did feel curious to ask the obvious. "...Mind telling me who are you?"

That's right. He had passed out onto the snow, hallucinating whatever walked up to him. It had to be this guy feeding him, there was no doubt about it.

The old man began to fill another bowl as he gazed at the soup from the metal pot. He remained quiet for just a few seconds, knowing he was eventually going to have to answer before turning to Kiryu. "...Name's Ayuto, I found ya' layin' on the snow outside. Had to bring you in. Barely saved ya' in the nick of time..." He turned back to look at his soup before serving himself.

"I see... thank you. Do you... happen to know what time it is?"

Turning his head to the clock behind Kiryu, Ayuto spent a few seconds of silence before turning back to the soup he was pouring into his bowl.

"...well?" Kiryu felt impatient... or scared almost. Deep down, something worried him, making him wonder if he was out for too long. "...was I out for hours?"

"Yeah. You were sleepin' since this afternoon. Its already midnight."

His body felt a shock of tension, realizing the critical danger behind his sleep. "No... no no... I... I have to find the others." As he tried to sit up, Kiryu felt his body struggling to cooperate. It forced him back down to the bed, now knowing he was stuck here til he recovered.

"You need y'ur rest, boy. You ain't goin' to wherever you're plannin' to head to." Ayuto began to take a sip of his soup, lips smacking a bit from the delicious dinner he made. 

This was terrible. He had no way of leaving this cabin and returning to his friends. "Great... just fucking great." His mutter wasn't quiet enough, as it only made the older man chuckle slightly.

"Best to rest now, your body needs to sleep well if ya' wanna recover." 

For a moment, Kiryu did listen and closed his eyes. He had no other choice but to sleep.

The lights soon turned off, and he tried to fall asleep... until his eyes shot open. His hand began struggling to move, checking every pocket he had on him til he found the scroll he tucked away. Sure enough, the brightness caused his eyes to squint tightly. He tried to see if Ayuto was asleep. Sure enough, given by the quiet breathing he could hear aside from the snowstorm blowing outside. 

His fingers tapped to check his contacts. This was the only way he'd be able to send a message to Blake, hopefully to update the team where he was at. 

**[1:02am Kiryu Kazuma]** _Blake, are you in Argus? I'm safe and sound in some old man's cabin. Please call me when you see this._

Tapping the send button wrecked his world.

_No Connection, message not sent._

There was no signal out here in the wilderness. Now he had no means of having contact with his team unless he'd meet them in person. A heavy sigh escaped his lips, carrying the frustration he felt.

Kiryu started to think on what he could have done to avoid this scenario. Was it back at the train, where he shoved Blake and got pushed instead? What could he have done to avoid either of them getting shoved? He should have shielded Blake with his sword instead, or he could have moved with her instead of simply shoving her away.

("...If I had just thought about it a little more... maybe I wouldn't be in this mess right now, maybe no one would think I was dead...")

He closed his eyes, deciding it was no use trying to worry about the past as he needed sleep. It was difficult though, his head kept running numerous thoughts, specifically at the present and how he got here.

Kiryu knew he wouldn't be stranded in the middle of nowhere if he had thought differently about saving Blake, but there was also the case of _why_ he got up there in the first place. Maybe he should have brought Majima to the roof with him? No, Blake would still be at risk. What if he had told her to go to the passenger trains instead of fighting Grimm on the roof of their ride? Maybe he could have avoided that situation altogether?

Thoughts became worst as he couldn't stop thinking about his past. He only met Blake because of Kazama, and he only went to Menagerie because of her. If he hadn't met Blake, would he have been dead? A victim like many in the Fall of Beacon?

What about Menagerie? Would the faunus still live a harsher life than what it already was if he didn't go there to find Blake? What if he had told her to stay instead at her house instead of allowing her to join him and Sun battling against the Three Captains? How would she have turned out? Someone who still runs away? Or too scared to fight her demons alone? He didn't know.

Then there was Adam. He could have avoided all that if he kept his mouth shut during Ghira's speech. Or, he could have let Blake handle the fight instead. It was terrible, because Haruka and everyone in Kamurocho was now at risk for his victory against the high leader of the White Fang. 

Lastly, there was the thought of Haruka. He didn't want to leave her in Sunflower for a long period of time. He needed to raise her as his own daughter. Still, with Salem a looming threat over Remnant, it made the situation more complicated for Kiryu.

He was always fighting, always getting into a mess, and someone was always getting hurt because of him, whether it was intentional or not. He hurt Nishiki, he hurt Blake, he hurt Adam, he hurt Yang... he just kept hurting everybody, and he didn't want to keep doing it. He wanted a peaceful life, and the assumption that he was dead was his one-way ticket to his desire.

  


* * *

  


The next morning came around, with Kiryu sleeping in til it was close to noon. He turned in bed, finding it uncomfortable as he realized the mattress was too sturdy. His eyes opened up to find Ayuto was no longer in the cabin. The metal pot was still in the house, so last night couldn't have been a dream.

He finally managed to sit up, taking in a few breaths as he sat there in that silent cabin. No one was there, except him. It got him thinking again.

"...Everyone probably thinks I'm dead."

His brows began to frown, realizing this was an double-edged opportunity. He was now considered dead by everyone, due to the storm and a lack of communication, but...

"...I could go back home, and raise Haruka. Maybe leave all this Salem-business behind and leave it up to them to solve it." 

It was a selfish thought, one that was acted purely based on the emotion of wanting to raise Yumi's daughter, but in the right way. 

Slowly, he stepped out of bed, slipping on his dress shoes before the door to the cabin opened. Ayuto was standing there, donning a hunter's outfit meant for the snow field. In his bag was the contents of an animal he had just killed. Already it was discomforting to look at. 

"...w-what is that?" Kiryu's eyes were focused on the bloodied bag, watching as Ayuto sat it across the fireplace with a soft _thump_ hitting against the ground. The older man began to light up the fireplace by using a match, letting out a sigh as he began to take off his hunting gear. "...Deer. Gotta eat somehow."

Deer, thank goodness it was just that. He wasn't sure what he'd do if this old man killed a human instead and was planning to eat him too.

"You kept tossin' and sayin' somethin' in y'ur sleep. Somethin' bout a girl named _Haruka_." 

Just as Ayuto said that, a look of discomfort came out of Kiryu. He turned to the ground, feeling worried about his mental health and the toll this situation was taking on him. "...She's my daughter."

"Ah... how old?"

"Nine."

A smile appeared on the man's face, stirring the soup he covered last night for today's breakfast. "Used to have kids of my own... 'bout three of them."

"Is that so? How old were they?"

There it was again. The silence Kiryu received after asking his question. This man did it when he asked for the time yesterday, and now he was doing it about his daughters. It was like he was keeping something safe from his guest. Then again, maybe he'll answer like he was delayed on processing what he heard.

"...12, 9, and 6. All gone years ago."

Oh... so that's why he was slow at responding. "I'm... sorry. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

Shaking his head, Ayuto stared at the soup as he sat there tired and worn out. "...Don't be, kiddo. You ain't done nothin' wrong, not like me." A long breath came out his lips as he served both himself and Kiryu servings of their meal after it had warmed up.

In a way, both men felt alone despite physically being there next to each other. This man had lost his kids, while Kiryu had lost his family and friends. The former yakuza took his bowl of soup Ayuto handed him, blowing on it gently before eating a spoonful. The next few minutes felt long and quiet, as their lives have been when they were separated by their loved ones.

"...So where's y'ur girl? You off to see her?" Ayuto broke the silence when the two ate, knowing that children were something they both had in common. "She's in Kamurocho, in Mistral."

"Mistral huh? Why're you so far out 'ere? Got a important place to be or what?"

He did. Yet, he wasn't sure how he could make it. Argus was far, yet the train station or some other city had to be closer, right? "...Sort of, yeah. I just can't talk about it."

"Why not?"

Why couldn't he? Because it was about some overlord witch who wanted all of humanity to be eradicated. That's why he couldn't, and it was stressful to think about. "...Can I ask you something else?" 

Seeing the older man nod his head, Kiryu began to stir the spoon in his soup, watching as the bubbles of the broth swirled around. "How... much did you love your daughters?" Now that was an odd question, but Ayuto was quick to answer this time. "A lot more than you could've ever imagined..."

"...and... if you were separated from them because of an important mission, would you abandon everything and return to them?"

"...depends on the circumstances."

Kiryu felt his throat bobbing, hesitant to ask the next and final question. "...and what if everyone thought you were _dead?"_

"Then yes."

That answer, it made Kiryu realize what he was beginning to truly feel. This whole situation about Salem, about him hurting everyone and neglecting Haruka, it made him want to go back to Sunflower and pick her up. To abandon his teammates, his lover, and reunite with his daughter who was waiting for him.

"Tell me, where the closest city nearby so I can fly back home?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I apologize for the long wait on this chapter and the shorter length of it. I wanted to try and write this arc in a steady pace. I also got busy with schoolwork and finishing up Yakuza 5. So far I've been planning things out for how this volume will go, and I'm happy to say I finally have a clear road map of what will come! So thanks for reading! Leave a comment below if you have any thoughts, I'd love to read them.


	9. Random Fire

Ayuto sat there as he stared at Kiryu. The air was silent, but heavy. the decision to abandon his teammates for the sake of raising Haruka, it was selfish and rather unexpected from the former yakuza. 

"...mind if I ask why?" 

A nervous but audible gulp was heard from Kiryu, who began to clench his fists tightly. "I... I would be abandoning one or the other, regardless of my choice. I can't afford to abandon my daughter. Not after everything I've lost."

He wasn't going to press further into the details. There was no need to state why. Kiryu gazed up at his host, wondering if he would agree to the idea. A simple nod came from him, relieving some of the weight on Kiryu's shoulders. "...Thank you."

"No need to thank me, now change your pants and shoes into these. Y'ur clothes ain't fit for the winter's touch." Ayuto would stand up to grab a set of black pants and boots for Kiryu to wear. "What you're wearin' for your top is already good enough."

It was odd to be told to change in front of someone he didn't know, but fortunately Ayuto was a considerate man. He had his back facing Kiryu as he changed, giving him some sort of privacy.

"So where are we heading?"

"...to Argus."

He blinked, realizing they were probably closer to the city than the train station near Haven. "...Right. Well I'm ready." Now donning new bottoms and boots fit for the cold, Kiryu gazed over to his katana leaning against the wall. His hand gripped the blade, a feeling of guilt washing over his chest. Was he really making the right decision? It was gray, with no right answer involved. 

Ayuto himself had been preparing to venture outside, wrapping himself in extra layers for the winter snow just in case. A few hunting supplies were attached to his waist, as well as a hunting rifle. "No storm brewin' outside, but it never hurts to be extra careful. C'mon." Opening the door to the cabin, the light burst into the dark interior, blinding Kiryu for a moment before he stepped out behind Ayuto. The snow storm had passed, and the clouds were clear. In a way, it brought him some distraction from the thoughts he had, until he heard a small garage opening. 

"Ngh... we'll be ridin' this here. Ain't no way we're walkin'." Ayuto stepped aside as a snowmobile was present. As much as he wanted to be happy, Kiryu couldn't smile.

Hopping on behind his host, the former Yakuza sat comfortably in his seat. He felt the force of the snowmobile pushing him back a little, forcing the man to cling onto Ayuto's shoulder so he wouldn't fall off. It was at this point the two began to drive, now heading to their destination.

...

25 minutes had passed as they drove North. Every minute that passed had Kiryu reflecting on his decision. He was going to leave Blake, Majima, his friends, and the mission to defeat Salem, all behind just so he could be reunited with Haruka. Maybe his life of peace wouldn't last forever, but maybe, just maybe he could die happily having raised his daughter.

...or would he? What would he feel when Salem was looming over the skies before Kamurocho? What would he do then? Stand there as red skies covered his world of peace? How would he protect Haruka?

("...I hate this...")

His teeth gritted, realizing there was no easy way out of this mess he had gotten himself into. He was selfish, and he hated it. His emotions fueled his actions, more times than he wanted to admit. He'd rather raise a child than save the world, a dream every person had when they were a child.

Except that dream wasn't coated in sugar and cream. No, it was a poisonous cake, filled with dark ooze that nobody wanted to think what it tasted like.

("...Argus... I can't leave them...")

Thinking of Blake hurt, because she genuinely loved him, yet he was running away, just as she struggled to stop doing. He saw how she was when she ran from her friends after the Fall of Beacon, and he was going to become just like her. A coward who ran away, except this time no one was going to help him. His friends were going to hate him. Hell, Majima was going to _kill_ him for it.

"...H-Hey... can I ask you something?" 

Lifting his head a gesture to acknowledge what he heard, Ayuto kept his focus on the snow path. 

"When you said if you would abandon your team for your family, did you really do it?" A sense of anxiety washed over Kiryu, wondering if he was ready to dive deeper into this man's past.

For a moment, the drive was silent until Ayuto nodded his head. Already the anxiety grew bigger inside the Dragon's body. His fist clung tighter, ready to ask the next question he needed to know.

"How did it feel... running away from everything? Was it worth it?"

"No."

No. It wasn't worth it, and that made him feel so much worst. Kiryu was going to feel terrible regardless of his choice, regardless of what was more important. He was going to be hurt, someone was going to be neglected, no matter what choice he made. 

"What happened?"

As they drove, Ayuto began to slow down, coming to a full stop eventually. Nothing but air blew past them, cold and unfriendly to their bodies. "...I... abandoned my village. I was an outsider, and when the monsters showed up, I left. I took my daughters with me, leaving everyone for dead. They cried, begging for me to wake up their mother and everyone they knew, but I couldn't. I knew why... the apathy."

Eyes blinked as Kiryu heard that name. "The... apathy?"

"Yes... the Grimm who drain your will to move on. The longer they stay, the less will you have. You could fall asleep in bed and never wake up. That's why I had to leave. I didn't have the will to wake everyone up, just my daughters..."

It was terrible hearing that. It wasn't this man's fault, it was those monsters. ("...Dammit...") 

"...Months passed after I left the village. There wasn't enough fuel for the snowmobile so we stayed at a abandoned cabin, the one you woke in. Food was gettin' low, and the winter's storm kept getting stronger with each passin' day. Eventually I had to start hunting for my family. I needed to keep them safe."

That explains why he had the hunting gear. This man was prepared. "...where did you find the equipment?"

Hearing Kiryu's question only made the situation more grimm. "Fallen huntsmen. Either to the storm or to the Grimm. As time passed on, less game appeared, and more Grimm started showin' up. I eventually stopped finding enough food for my daughters and I... I was hungry, and there was no way I could keep huntin' on an empty stomach."

"...You didn't eat them, did you?"

Ayuto shook his head, letting out a heavy, but shivery breath. "No... mercy kill."

His head turned away, mouth slightly agape from the horrible news he heard. This man ran, couldn't keep driving South to Haven, and couldn't find enough food for anyone but himself.

"...I'm sorry..."

"Don't be. I've lived with my choices, whether I liked it or not. This mobile has only enough fuel to make it to the village up ahead, there we can find more, and take you to Argus." Pulling on the handle, Ayuto began driving.

As for Kiryu, he felt nothing but guilt for this man. Running away costed him his family, and in turn, left him alone for the rest of his days. "...What about you? What will you do once I'm gone?"

"...Go back to that cabin. Stay there for the rest of my days to atone for my sins."

Kiryu's eyes gazed to the side, watching as the snow covered trees were passed as they drove North. Running away from his mission wasn't going to lead him to a peaceful life. Just one filled with loneliness and guilt. 

As they drove, the snowmobile began to slow down. "Oi... we didn't run out of fuel, did we?" He hoped not, because this was going to make the walk a pain in the ass.

Ayuto shook his head, pointing ahead. "No, look."

Smoke was rising into the air, a sign that either people were calling for attention, or something worst. Kiryu gazed at the smoke, tapping Ayuto's shoulder in an impatient manner. "Hurry. Go!"

The snowmobile sped up, dashing through the snow to make it to their location. Worry was on Kiryu's mind, but why? His team had to have made it safely to Argus, right? There was no reason to believe his team was there.

Ayuto however, he knew exactly what it was. It was the last place he wanted to be at. 

* * *

Coming to a stop at a snow path, Ayuto slowly stepped off his vehicle as Kiryu jumped off. He rushed towards the direction of the fire, eyes widening as he gazed upon the unbelievable. A fire was engulfing an entire mansion, along with other houses. Grimm were wandering the grounds, engulfed in flames as their cries were heard by the two stepping close to the gate before them.

Kiryu gazed up at the entrance gate's words, worried by what this once-peaceful location could have been. "...Brunswick... Farms?"

A noticeable click of the tongue came out of Ayuto, only for him to drop to his knees. It caught Kiryu off guard, seeing as the man began to quietly weep. "O-Oi! What's the matter?"

"This... This was my home..." 

Brunschwick Farms? This was where the man ran from? And those skinny Grimm wandering as they cried out in pain, were they the apathy? It was hell on Remnant... 

"...Then we should go. There's no reason to stay here." As Kiryu turned to head back to the snowmobile, he heard Ayuto standing up, loading his rifle before turning around. The old hunter was walking into the fire-filled village, aiming his gun at any moving Grimm before shooting a bullet into their heads.

"Hey, Ayuto!" 

Bullets were reloaded, shot in succession after every round flew at the wandering Grimm. 

"Ayuto!"

His grip was tight on his rifle, making sure not to miss a single target that moved. There was a numerous amount, and oddly enough, watching the hunter take them out was admirable. 

Kiryu stood behind, observing the hunter trying to make a redemption for himself. It wasn't anything to cheer about. The man simply wanted to rid the monsters that drove him out of his home. 

With a sigh, the Dragon began to step forward, hand held tightly onto his blade as he dashed to one of the Grimm that were on fire. He wasn't sure why he joined in on killing the Apathy. Maybe it was to help Ayuto with atoning his sins, or his own. The sins of leaving your loved ones behind, it was a mark that left a permanent scar on one's conscious. 

No matter how many the two were shooting or slicing down the Grimm, it wasn't going to make up for the thought of abandoning their loved ones. It wasn't going to bring back the Ayuto's family, the village he loved and cared so much. It was only going to give him closure for the sins he committed. 

Kiryu still had a chance to reunite with his loved ones, but to think of running away. It made him a hypocrite. All that time spent consoling Blake about her running was going to become pointless if he ran now. His love was going to vanish the second he leaves Blake and everyone for dead. Without him, there was a greater possibility Salem would win in the future.

Ayuto continued firing, stepping further into the grounds of the village as he watched Kiryu slicing down the Grimm. Both men weren't just giving themselves a closure of the mind, it was an act of killing their shadows, their guilt, to rid the dirt off their conscious and let them move on peacefully. The village people were going to rot away no longer, as the fires burned their bodies inside the houses. In a way, this poor village was going to be wiped off the surface of Remnant. A place that struggled to keep moving forward, ran by a leader who decided to stop pursuing the future and instead chose a peaceful method of putting everyone to rest.

Slicing down the last Grimm, Kiryu panted as he wiped his forehead. The fires around him began to make it difficult to breathe a bit, the heat becoming uncomfortable to stay in. He looked up, watching as Ayuto stood there with a sad look on his face. The old man had finally managed to get rid of all the Grimm inside his home, with the help of his guest.

"Ayuto." 

Hearing his name being called out, Ayuto faced Kiryu, mouth slightly opened as he knew what to tell him. "Don't run away like I did."

A bullet pierced the air between them, flying right into the hunter's chest. His body fell back, hitting against the ground as his cap fell off. Unsure who it was that shot him, Kiryu felt his body dashing towards the wounded man. "Ayuto! AYUTO!"

Panic took over his body, watching as blood spilled out of his bullet wound. Blood spat out of the old man's mouth, his face in shock of what just happened. 

"No... No no... Ayuto, you gotta stay with me!" As much as he tried to cover the wound, Kiryu's hands became stained with his blood. It was gruesome, not being able to help and only make a mess of things. _"K-Kiryu..."_

He wasn't going to fail him here. Ayuto saved his life, and he needed to repay that favor. "Oi... Ayuto! Look at me! LOOK AT ME!"

Turning his head up, Ayuto struggled to keep his eyes opened. "...Kiryu... you already saw what became of me... learn from me... and stay with your family..."

The fires behind them destroyed the home Ayuto knew of. He was going to die with this place. 

"I... could have stayed, and died with everyone, but I only delayed the inevitable... perhaps fate had stored in mind... for me to save you..."

Tears began to build up in his eyes, hearing his words. It hurt his heart, hearing that his actions only delayed what was suppose to happen. "...Don't... Don't say that... Ayuto..."

"I'm... only happy... I could take out these monsters... and guide a man like you onto the right path..." A bittersweet smile appeared on his face, only for blood to be spat out as he began to feel his eyes growing heavy. 

For once, Kiryu began to cry, sobbing gently as this man slowly died in his arms. The Grimm took his home and drove him out. _"You didn't deserve this... Ayuto..."_

"...Good luck... on your mission... Kiryu..." With the last words coming out of his mouth, Ayuto smiled as best he could as he closed his eyes. He was happy, having returned to where his home was. He was no longer going to be cooped up in that cabin, but instead in the afterlife with his friends and family.

Watching as his savior had died, the Dragon pressed his head against Ayuto's abdomen, shivering and sniffling as he mourned the loss of this man. He wept for a minute before seeing the bullet wound. Sadness turned to anger as he realized someone else had to have done this. Kiryu clenched his fist before turning his head, seeing no one other than Jo Amon standing.

"Hello, Kiryu."

"...Amon..."

His teeth gritted, legs slowly standing up as he noticed the gun in his hands. "Why... _Why did you murder him?!"_ Anger filled his vision, wishing to enact revenge on Amon for taking the life of an innocent person.

A light smirk came to his lips, hand tossing the firearm into the well beside him. "I told you, Kiryu... I was going to hunt you down and murder everyone you love, and cared about. No matter where you run." 

That reality hurt to hear. Kiryu had nearly forgotten about Amon, but here he was in the flesh. Reminding Kiryu that even if he ran, Amon would target his loved ones. "So you just decided to kill any random stranger I was next to, is that?"

"Heh, you know I was watching you during your fight. You weren't strangers. I could tell there was a strong connection between you two." As Amon stood there, his brows furrowed in confidence. 

Seeing that look on his face made him want to dig his fist into Amon's skull. "How the hell did you even find me?"

A breath came in and out as Amon stood there, arms crossed as he gazed over his rival. "I was traveling through the fields here, and I noticed the fire a while ago. I came to investigate. I was lucky enough to come just in time as you and that pathetic hunter were fighting. Must be a shame you two took a pit stop you didn't need." Lips pursed into a smile, knowing that fate was on his side.

"...so what? You came to fight me now that I'm here, is that it?"

"You seem to remember. Yes, Kiryu. I'm going to take you down, all for the name of the Amon Clan."

Fists clenched tight, and the Dragon rushed as Amon charged towards him. Both fists clashed together, blowing a force of air at their feet before they backed away.

"I'm going to _make_ you pay, Amon."

"Heh, I'd like to see the Dragon of Dojima at his fullest."

Kiryu was pissed, having loss someone he grew to know at the hands of this assassin. Despite how wild the fires around them were becoming, both men didn't seem to be fazed at their surroundings.

Every punch connected with a guard or a block, at worst a counter that had Amon grabbing Kiryu by the leg and flipping him backwards. It was annoying, but the Dragon understood why this fight had to happen. Amon was reality coming to tell him the news of what his future would bring. 

Should he run, he'd basically be leaving everyone for dead. Amon was going to kill them, and Salem would eradicate all of humanity with no heroes left to stop her. In a way, Kiryu was indirectly saving the world by stopping the assassin. 

"You really love to make things take a turn for the worst, don't you Amon?" Kiryu threw his fist at the assassin, only to have it be grabbed. In retaliation, he grabbed the man's free wrist, putting them in a deadlock.

Remaining silent, the assassin shoved Kiryu away when he could, grinning as he activated his semblance. That red aura of death had come, and it was going to stand in Kiryu's path. 

The Dragon would punch the dirt, air blowing as his semblance activated as well. The blue aura of justice was now present, both men on equal standing before they took out their swords. 

"You know I won't hold back, Kiryu. Whatever it is you're doing, its going to depend heavily whether you can defeat me or not."

He was right. The future of humanity was at stake depending on the outcome of this battle. It wasn't because Kiryu could single handlely save the world, no. Others were depending on him, and without his help, who knows how far they can keep moving forward. Both physically and mentally. Especially Blake, who was waiting for him wherever she was.

Gripping his katana in preparation, the Dragon glared at his opponent before kicking the dirt towards him. In proximity, both men clashed their swords before rapidly swinging it together. Amon would move the tip of his sword up and around to free himself of Kiryu's deadlock, only to be pulled back into it. 

In amusement, Amon began to chuckle at how angry Kiryu was. "You're this angry over the loss of a single life? Once you've taken many, death no longer fazes you."

"No wonder you can't win against me."

That comment did bother the assassin, only to feel the force of Kiryu's sword pushing against him til he was forced back. The Dragon didn't hesitate to start attacking, missing Amon's wrist, except the tip sliced at his hand's skin, forcing the assassin to step to the side in pain. "Tch, I will win against you, Dragon of Dojima!" 

A second sword was unsheathed, now dual wielding both blades as he circled the fighting ground. The fires weren't calming down, as buildings began to collapse around them. One of the houses that was next to them fell nearby, forcing the two men to quickly roll out of the incoming debris.

On the ground, Kiryu quickly turned to face Amon, who had lept into the air with both swords aimed high and ready to cut down the Dragon. He wasn't going to give Amon the satisfaction of killing him. He raised his foot and kicked the man once he got close enough, right in the gut to have him drop his weapons. 

Panting as he barely saved himself, Kiryu stood up and approached the man in pain. With a stomp on the face, he'd jump and kick both feet onto Amon's body, letting out a yell of anger towards him. He wasn't going to kill him, but he'd enjoy putting this man in his place. 

"You're not killing anyone I care about, never again Amon!"

Coughing as blood spat out, the assassin stood up to wipe his lips of blood, chuckling as he heard Kiryu's words. "...Guess I gotta keep trying..." His fists swung to hit Kiryu, missing as the Dragon ducked and dodged every attack until his arms shielded himself from the barrage of attacks Amon swung at him. It wasn't enough to save himself from injury, as his guard was broken and Amon rapidly punched the Dragon across the face multiple times.

Still on his feet, Kiryu's face was bruised as blood seeped out his lip. He spat it out, wiping his lips before taking a stance. "...Even Blake's slaps hurt more than that."

Amon would click his tongue, annoyed that Kiryu was taunting him about his lack of strength. It was why he was here. Why he had to defeat and kill Kiryu Kazuma. The Amon Clan was dedicated to killing their rivals, especially those that tainted their pride through losses.

"I'll make you regret those words, Kiryu Kazuma..." With his fists ready, Amon carefully approached Kiryu, only to begin throwing punches as he received them from the Dragon as well.

Both men shouted as they punched one another between the fires around them, only for one of them to grab the other's neck and begin squeezing. Amon grinned as he had Kiryu in a choke hold, but felt a elbow to the gut that forced him to release his enemy. 

Turning after he was freed, Kiryu took Amon by the head and brought it down to his knee, followed by a kick that had Amon stumbling back against the well he threw his gun in earlier. The assassin had to stop to catch his breath, realizing he may be losing once again as he gazed up at Kiryu. 

The look of anger, of strength, of someone who was going to humiliate him once again was coming right at him. The Dragon of Dojima was a foe with immeasurable strength, one that shouldn't be messed with, especially in a time of mourning, as it brought its wrath upon those that dared to disturb it's moment of pain.

Kiryu had rushed in and jumped, kicking Amon with his knee rightfully in the chest where he shot Ayuto. It was enough force to have the assassin lose his grip on the edge of the well and have him fall into the darkness beneath.

It was over, his fourth fight with Amon. All by himself. It was always tough in these moments, lonely and scary in fact. It was different, much higher in stake compared to his previous fight in Menagerie. Blake was there with him, by his side. Just thinking about it, it made Kiryu drop to his knees as the fires began to die down. All the buildings had collapsed, leaving no remains of this village except for the well sitting before him. 

Eyes began to swell with tears, lips quivering to suppress a cry before he began punching the ground, and finally once at himself. That punch hurt more than Amon's.

He was disappointed in himself, for thinking about running away in the first place. He couldn't help but to bury his head into his body and yell in anguish. He was emotionally hurt for wanting to leave everybody behind. That was not the Kiryu Kazuma anyone knew. No. It was a shadow of himself, who was tired of fighting all the time and having to let people pay the price for his involvement.

His sobs grew louder, sounding more in pain as he was hurt. He was alone, yet temporarily. 

_"I'm sorry... I'm sorry Blake..."_

It was terrible, trying to leave someone so important to him that stuck by his side at Beacon and at Menagerie, when everyone was against him. It was because of her that Kiryu wasn't truly alone. She was a light that shined bright in his world of darkness, helping Haruka's light become bright as well. Without Blake, there would be no Haruka to watch grow up in the future.

Standing to his feet, Kiryu sniffed the last of his tears before gazing up at the skies. It was dark, and covered in smoke. Bits of openings in the clouds helped him see the blue sky that was there. 

He'd turn his head to see Ayuto's corpse laying there on the ground. Carefully he walked past it, deciding his business here was over, and Ayuto's torment came to an end. 

Hopping onto the snowmobile, Kiryu would turn the ignition key and rev up the engine before driving out of there. He had a place everyone was waiting for him: Argus.

* * *

The sight of the Argus walls were in full view just as his snowmobile had ran out of fuel. Kiryu would look at the photo attached to the windshield, one he felt bittersweet for. Ayuto and his family were smiling at the camera when it was taken. It was thanks to him that Kiryu was here right now, standing at the top of a hill before civilization.

"Wherever you are, Ayuto, I hope you're reunited with your family." 

He took the photo from its windshield, deciding to let the wind blow it to wherever life had wanted to go. With a sigh, he began moving on foot to the city before him. The sunset hovering above the gray walls, the sight of tall buildings sitting just past it, it brought Kiryu comfort knowing he physically wasn't alone anymore. 

Every step he took made him more determined to see through his goals, now that he was out of the snow-covered forest. He was walking on grass, approaching the city entrance with a smile of confidence.

Upon arrival, Kiryu gazed at the people wandering nearby. Someone was on their scroll, which reminded him to call his companions. He took out his scroll, only to see a notification that the battery was dead. That was odd, didn't he charge it? He swore he did, or did he leave it on? Regardless, there was no use crying about it. He needed to keep moving forward, his friends _had_ to be in this city, and he was going to look everywhere if that's what it took.

**Four hours later...**

His feet were hurting, and his stomach was growling. Kiryu had to stop searching and grab something to eat. ("This is pointless... I've searched the business district, the suburbs, and the park... nobody seems to know who I'm talking about...")

With nothing else to do, Kiryu began making his way to a nearby Smile Burger restaurant. The smell, the yellow coloring of the interior, the food being cooked, it made Kiryu drool for a moment. ("...Food...")

He wished the line before him wasn't so long, but he had to play the waiting game. Embarrassingly enough, his stomach began to growl loudly. People turned to look at him, making the man blush uncomfortably as he looked away. ("...Don't look at me, I'm hungry just as much as you are...")

The next 15 minutes were hell for him. His stomach felt like a void, waiting to be filled with the deliciousness of a burger, combined with salty fries that washed down with the sip of a soft drink. Once it was his turn, Kiryu unintentionally leaned against the counter. He was starving, and exhausted. It was a good thing he cleaned his face of blood earlier in the day, otherwise the cashier would have screamed of fright.

"A number 4 combo... make it a large... hurry please." 

"R-Right! A number 4 combo! Large!" The cashier yelled out to the team behind her, taking in Kiryu's card to make his payment before handing him the receipt and a large cup. "Here you go! Your order will be coming right-"

Already the man took his cup and card, leaving to the drink fountain to fill it with some water so he could rehydrate himself. After his belly was filled with a drink, he began to fill his cup with a different soft drink. He was famished. ("...I hate to be impatient, but I wish these people would hurry up...")

Ten minutes passed until his order was called out. A shame, because those ten minutes felt like agony for him. His stomach growling constantly and disturbing the peace. 

"Here you go! Enjoy the meal!"

Seeing the cashier's smile was oddly uncomfortable. It was like she was feeling sorry for him instead of being happy. Whatever, he wasn't sticking around long.

Outside, Kiryu took his seat at a nearby bench. He would reach into his bag and carefully munch on his fries so he wouldn't make himself throw up later. Gotta start off with something small.

As he ate, his eyes gazed at the pedestrians walking around the city. Each was accompanied by another person, either holding hands or chatting with someone. In a way, it made him feel guilty, knowing he nearly decided to run away. Well, he was here in the city, but he was alone. It felt lonely for the time being. He just needed to charge up his scroll and see if he could call Blake to meet up.

Once his meal was finished, the man would throw away his trash before looking up at the night sky. Stars were showing, and snow gently fell as music played nearby. It was all so comforting and cheery, yet he couldn't shake off the sadness he felt. 

("...I bet they all think I'm still dead.")

He couldn't shake that off. That thought would loom until he came across his team once again. A heavy sigh came out of him, deciding to close his eyes to rest a little. 10 minutes passed until he stopped power napping. ("...Shouldn't rest here. Someone could rob me in my sleep.") 

As much as he hated it, Kiryu had to stand up and begin walking once again. Hands tucked into his pockets, fiddling with the pack of cigarettes and lighter inside. He wasn't in the mood for a smoke, just a roof over his head so he could sleep. 

He walked through streets towards the suburbs, wondering if a motel was nearby. His eyes felt heavy, and walking a lot was already beginning to make him hungry again. ("Guess that burger wasn't enough.")

Stopping underneath a street lamp, Kiryu decided it was time for a smoke break. He took out a cigarette and a lighter, firing up the end of the stick so he could soothe his nerves a bit. It was a usual habit of his, smoking to calm himself down.

He had been through so much already, yet he still felt alone. His eyes focused on the starry sky above him, blowing out smoke to see how much he could clear it in reminiscent of the Brunswick Farm fire. It was a sad memory, seeing Ayuto dying before him, and kicking Amon into the well. Wherever Ayuto was, he hoped he was happy. 

("Rest in peace... Ayuto.")

His face began to frown at the loss of the man. He died only because Grimm invaded his home. It was because of that man that Kiryu decided to keep moving forward. ("...I'll take down Salem. She's the reason behind all this.")

Now he just had to keep moving to that motel. Walking forward, Kiryu felt himself bumping against someone. "Ah, sorry, didn't mean to-"

Blake was standing there, along with the rest of his team behind her. Her eyes were filled with tears, a look of disbelief and happiness on her face. 


	10. Next Step

"You... You guys are seeing this too... r-right?"

She wanted to believe it was him, standing right before her. She needed to believe Kiryu wasn't a ghost and had came back alive to everyone.

"Y-Yeah... its him." Weiss would nod her head, tearing up slightly at the fact that their comrade had managed to return safely, with the team's worries now gone. Kiryu stood there smiling gently, a expression that warmed everyone's hearts when it was directed at them. "Blake... I'm so-

 _"KIRYU-CHAN!!"_ The Mad Dog had pounced onto his best friend to the ground, hands clinging tightly to Kiryu. _"You idiot! You had me worried! Why didn't you call me?!"_

 _"Ngh..._ Majima, I had no signa-

 _"SHUT UP! You... You had me scared... I thought we lost you for good..."_ It was rare to see Majima this worked up, to the point tears were in his eyes. He slowly stood up as he helped his best friend to their feet, only to bring him in for a close hug. It wasn't long before the Mad Dog began to cry, a manner that was ugly yet joyful.

Kiryu would pat his friend on the head, blowing out a sigh as he decided to let his friend express his worries through tears. It was comforting, to realize how much he really meant towards his rival.

It wasn't long before Blake pushed her head against her lover's arm, sniffles coming out as she gripped on the sleeve of his jacket. Kiryu immediately took notice and smiled, deciding to bring in the faunus for a hug. 

That was intended of course. 

Kiryu felt possibly the strongest slap from a woman in his life, leaving a harsh red mark on his right cheek. The situation felt shocking at first, putting Majima's ugly crying to a immediate halt as everyone turned to focus on Blake, whose shoulders were tensed up to her body.

"Why... _Why did you have to do that..?"_

It was an odd question, but it didn't take long for the Dragon of Dojima to catch on what she meant. "I was only trying to protect you."

 _"Well you DID more than that! You had me scared, worried... I couldn't easily accept the fact that you were possibly dead..._ _"_ Her face turned up to face him, tears staining her cheeks as her eyes were red. _"...so don't you EVER do something that reckless again! I... we were all worried about you, Kiryu. We truly thought you were dead... I thought I lost my only partner..."_

Blake pushed her face into his chest, hands gripping tightly onto his jacket to not let him go. Heavy tears came out, hints of frustration mixed in with a large dose of relief that her love was safe and sound, here where he belonged.

It was a wholesome sight for everyone, yet it was also a tear jerker. Yang sniffed as she had to wipe away a tear. "H-Heh... you really had us worried... right, Weiss?"

"Worried? That's an absolute understatement!" The ex-heiress cried out as she stomped towards the former Yakuza, hands pulling on his ear in a manner not to inflict pain, but to hold his full attention. "And you! You seriously had us sick to death... next time you pull a stunt like that, I... I'll..."

"Or what? You're going to drag him out of his grave and slap him?" Yang knew how to make the scene a little goofy, earning a few chuckles from everyone who wasn't crying. As for Weiss, she began to stutter, unsure what to respond with. 

Jaune had to step in, a gentle smile on his face as he approached the healthy Dragon. "Hey Kiryu... I know its all fun right now, but Weiss is right. We were actually worried. Nora, Ren, and I were scared one of you guys wouldn't make it, no matter who it was. I don't know what you might've gone through, but you're here now. Safe and sound. You think maybe you could not try scaring us like that again?"

He knew Jaune was speaking for everyone, as they were all gazing at him. Weiss was discreetly trying to hide her tears as she glared at him. Yang and Ruby were smiling, with the blonde's lilac eyes watered a bit. Nora was clearly smiling with tears down her eyes, while Ren, Qrow, and Majima were standing there, trusting their ally.

("...To think I almost gave all this up for Haruka... I'm sorry everyone... I truly am...")

Kiryu began to squeeze Blake into his arms, deciding to spend the next several minutes letting faunus vent her emotions as the entire team went in on a big group hug that unsurprisingly brought a fiery warmth to the Dragon's body. He wasn't in the cold freezing from the winter's sting. He was here in Argus, standing with those that he cared about. 

Slowly, they began to pull away to leave Blake and Kiryu some breathing room. His face holding a smile as he wiped away the other's tears. "Are you feeling okay?"

"...Y-Yea... I'm a lot better now. Are you hungry? We could go to Jaune's place for something to eat." Blake asked, seemingly worried but motivated tone to make up lost time with Kiryu. A simple nod from him was the cue to have everyone start walking towards their temporary home. It was rather short, and perfect they met Kiryu a few meters away, because the door to the house was opened. 

Oscar was standing there, a new uniform donned as the light from the living room shined behind him, oddly giving a new glow to his look.

_"OSCAR!"_

Everyone, except Kiryu, Blake, and Qrow rushed inside to hug their teammate, who was presumably missing before reuniting with the Dragon. "What's going on?"

"Oh, well... we thought Oscar had ran away after some unsettling news..." Blake, who was still clinging to her lover's arm, realized the man didn't know the truth about Salem. That look of worry, it oddly began to change the mood from relief to concern. "Let's... let's step inside, shall we?" Her ears began to fold, knowing their upcoming conversation wasn't going to be pretty. In fact, it brought another worry to the faunus of how Kiryu would take it.

* * *

Dinner was a interesting moment for Kiryu, and for everyone else as they exchanged stories of their experience of the train crash. It was shocking to think that the mansion on fire he visited with Ayuto was the same fire Weiss caused when the team was fleeing Brunswick Farms.

"Who would have thought you guys were forced to take shelter at some place like that. Must've been hell." 

Oh it was, Blake was severely depressed in that situation. It reminded her how shameful and guilty she felt after he sacrificed himself on that train. All it did was make her lean her head against her lover's shoulder, eyes closed as she wanted to take comfort in his presence.

"Yeah, but what about you? What happened after you fell off the train?" Weiss seemed worried, wondering if something severe happened to him. 

The next ten minutes only focused on what physically happened to Kiryu, not mentally. There was no way he'd reveal he wanted to flee. It would just change everyone's perception of him, which he didn't need.

"Tch... Amon..." Majima had his arms folded, having heard that the Dragon was once again attacked by Jo Amon. "Er... who is Amon?" Ruby had to ask, which only bothered the Mad Dog. "He's a tough assassin from the Amon Clan. Keeps attacking Kiryu because he's petty that he can't win against him."

"Should we be worried about him?" Just the tone Majima carried, it worried Weiss when she asked, as she knew how tough Kiryu was in a fight. If someone could give the Dragon an issue, then they were a foe not to be taken lightly.

Kiryu shook his head, a smile coming to his face. "No, I took care of him enough times that he'll only be focusing on me when he returns. I won't let any of you get dragged into my mess."

"But..." Blake looked up, still feeling worried about his wellbeing. "Now that he knows you're connected to me... won't he-"

"No. I'll bury him alive if he lays a hand on either of you." 

The tone of his voice made everyone look at him rather shocked. From casual, to suddenly threatening a man, it made everyone feel uneasy. Still, it was positive in a way, knowing Kiryu would protect anyone present.

As he sat there eating, Blake knew what she had to tell him, but was it too soon? She barely got to reunite with Kiryu. What if he decided to quit and leave? That would be the worst for her.

Upon taking the last bite out of the roasted turkey Oscar had made for everyone, Kiryu gave out a satisfied sigh. "Oscar, did you really make this?"

Letting out a chuckle, the farm boy began to rub the back of his head, blushing from a hint of embarrassment. "Heheh... well... yeah. Us farm boys need to learn how to cook." He looked up with a smile, relieved to see a happy look on everyone's faces. 

This time of peace and happiness wouldn't last very long, as Majima began to tap on the table noticeably. His tapping wasn't gentle. It was expressed in a manner that they turn and listen to him. "Yo... ain't we tellin' Kiryu 'bout the elephant in the room?"

Everyone's heart skipped a beat knowing what he was referring to. Kiryu was the only one to look naive and innocent. "What? What's he talking about?" Nobody wanted to speak up, which made the situation all the more unsettling to say the least. 

Ruby knew it had to be her, given she was the team leader and most willing to put on a brave face. "Kiryu... I know this is going to sound completely unbelievable and possibly full of lies... but everything I'm about to tell you is one secret you _must_ keep to yourself. Absolutely _no one_ outside our group can hear it, can you promise me that?"

Just the mood those words carried, it didn't sound like Ruby was a little girl like she was back at Beacon. She was mature, and determined to bring peace to their main conflict. Kiryu would nod his head, eyes focused on the redhead's lips for what words she would spill.

* * *

Everything felt... indifferent. Kiryu simply sat there in silence after Ruby's huge explanation about Jinn and the truth revealed about Ozpin and Salem. How Salem was once Ozpin's romantic partner turned bloodthirsty for revenge.

His mind went blank trying to process the huge reveal he had heard. Salem was immortal, and couldn't be killed. It was a statement that took away their moment of happiness and replaced it with dread.

The sound of him pulling his chair out from the table brought a shock of worry to Blake. Her eyes focused on the man who seemingly had an disapproving expression on his face. "Kiryu, wait!"

He turned slightly, but not completely as his back faced everyone. "I'll be outside if anyone needs me. I just need some fresh air." His steps filled the silence of the room, leaving everyone behind to go into the open courtyard outside. Blake stood up, knowing he needed him now more than ever. "I'm going to-"

"No. Wait." Majima held his hand up, deciding to stand so Blake couldn't chase after him. "There's some important news I gotta tell him first... its... something the both of us should know first."

"And why is that?" The faunus crossed her arms, raising a brow at the man as she knew this was just him stopping her. Majima was fully aware how he came off as, though he shook his head. "Just don't want him to do something reckless again. I'm gonna try 'n see what he wants to do next when I tell him the news." Just like that, the Mad Dog took his leave to the courtyard behind the house. 

As much as Blake wanted to be by his side, she felt scared about Kiryu doing something reckless again. He had just returned, and every second spent without him made her physically anxious for him. Her hand was grabbed by Yang, who surprisingly helped to comfort her anxiety. "Hey, its going to be okay. He's not going anywhere."

"I know, but..." Still, it didn't shake off the nerves she felt. How he could suddenly up and vanish. She didn't want another repeat of that. Her heart wouldn't be able to endure the pain of him not being a part of her world anymore.

Outside, Majima took a breath of air as he slowly approached his best friend. Kiryu was leaning against a wall, cigarette in hand as he was settling his nerves through the use of nicotine. "Yo, Kiryu. How you holdin' up?"

"...Feeling like shit if you ask me."

"Yeah... don't blame ya. I lost my shit too when I heard the news too. Yang had to hold me down, then that loan shark pinned me."

Kiryu didn't know much about Akiyama, given he hadn't had a proper introduction yet. "Majima... we're both going up against the person responsible for these Grimm... and I recently just learned she can't be killed... how the hell am I suppose to cope with that?" The Dragon turned to his ally, a face that told his buddy how lost he felt right now. In fact, he felt worse about everything when he was stranded. How he nearly ran away, how he decided to come back. Any choice made felt like it was in vain.

Scratching his head, the Mad Dog wasn't sure himself how to answer. "Eh... well I won't lie, the situation is pretty crappy if you ask me. But, I'm only this far because Yang's been helping me."

Kiryu would turn his head towards the other, waiting for him to elaborate more on the idea.

"I'll be honest, Kiryu. I was an ass to y'er girl after you fell off the train. I was mad, and took out my frustrations on her... Yang helped me to settle my anger, but that still don't remove how guilty I feel about it. I owe it to that blonde for pulling me out of that shit. Who knows how far I would have gone." 

The regret was noticeable in the Mad Dog's tone, which Kiryu couldn't help but to acknowledge. It was understandable to be upset at someone for being the indirect cause of losing your closest friend. It was something he's felt before, towards Nishiki for shooting Kazama. "Its fine. Anyone would have done the same if they were in your shoes. I'm just glad you found someone that pulled you out." 

"Eh? You sure?"

"Yeah... You were just mad I was gone. That's it."

"But I... yeah. You're right."

Things grew quiet between them, with Majima leaning back against a railing and Kiryu blowing his smoke into the air. He thought about it, how he was only moving forward because of Ayuto's death. Grimm were responsible for delaying the man's inevitable death. None of that would have happened if the Grimm didn't exist.

The Mad Dog did want to talk about the news he found earlier, but someone needed to be present for that. He was on his scroll, typing away before the doors opened again. Akiyama was standing there, a gentle smile on his face. "Yo, Majima. You called?" Kiryu turned to see the Loan Shark standing there. For the first time, they were actually meeting face to face on a personal level. 

"Kiryu, this here's Akiyama. A loan shark from Kamurocho."

"Kamu... rocho?" Hearing Majima's words was enough to bring Kiryu's full attention to the man standing before him. He quickly put out his cigarette, turning to face Akiyama. Of course, the loan shark was a friendly guy. "Shun Akiyama, I'm not an official loan shark yet."

Now that was odd, what did he mean by that? "You aren't set up for business?" Kiryu gazed over him, wondering if this guy had any tricks to his sleeves. Of course, Akiyama would shake his head. "No, not yet. I was suppose to be heading to Mantle to set up there, until I actually met these guys. After the train crashed, I was stuck with them. Ended up learning about Salem and how she's immortal." A nervous chuckle came out of him, hand rubbing the back of his neck. "...makes you wonder why an outsider like me is doing with a group of guys like you."

"Guys like us? Erm... I'm not anyone special really." 

"Oi! Kiryu-Chan! You're the Dragon of Dojima. You oughta take pride in y'er title!" 

Dragon of Dojima. _Dragon of Dojima_... that title rang a bell. 

Akiyama's eyes shot open, his attention focused on the person standing before him. "Wait! You're... Kiryu Kazuma, aren't you?" That question only made the Dragon himself nod, with a hint of suspicion behind it. 

"Holy shit... so you were part of the Billion Lien Incident. I can't believe how small of a world this is." That statement itself did seem surprising, but it didn't make Kiryu smile. The incident itself took most of his loved ones away, something that brought a frown to his face. "A-Ah, didn't mean to upset you... I wanted to say I owe you one."

"Huh?" That made the Dragon curious why he was suddenly in someone's debt. "Heh, well... I haven't told the others about it, but I used to be homeless. Lost my job at a banking firm under embezzlement. I spent all I had trying to prove my innocence, but I ended up wasting everything... then one day, sky began falling out of the sky. It was like fate was giving me a second chance. Who knew that second chance would lead me here, to saving the world with the same guy who saved me?" A short chuckle came out of him, knowing he was still young yet so brilliant and smart at investing, and it led him to this very spot before the Mad Dog and Kiryu.

Of course, that did make Kiryu smile for a moment. "Well Akiyama, I'm glad fate gave you a second chance. Mine was at Beacon Academy, where I met Blake and the others."

"Beacon? Oh man... I heard the Fall must've been tragic. Everyone back home was panicking over it. Grimm nearly invaded before the military stepped in." A sigh escaped Akiyama's lips, wondering how screwed he would've been. A sudden thought did come to Kiryu, who had just listened to the Loan Shark's backstory. "Akiyama, you said you were heading to Mantle, right?"

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

"How do you plan on getting there?"

"Ah..." Akiyama cupped his chin. "Well, to be honest I got some potential business partners seeking to work with me in Mantle, as they're looking to expand their work there. I could tell them you guys are part of my business and we're going to be needing a ride."

An audible groan came out of the Mad Dog. "We should've just done that instead of going up to the Atlas base earlier."

"Atlas base? What happened?" Kiryu was lost on the idea. He wondered if the original plan to go to the base didn't work out as well. "Well, the damn lady who runs the place only wants Weiss to go on ahead. We can't go and she won't let us through, so we're stuck here." Majima answered, seemingly annoyed by the outcome of that plan.

A smile came to the Loan Shark's face, surprised to hear the idea. "Didn't think your team had your own method of going to Atlas. A shame that it didn't work, but I'll make sure mine does so we can all go together."

"Thank you, Akiyama." Kiryu felt his face smiling in relief. It was people like him who just made life just a bit easier.

"Oi, by the way, there's something I need to tell you two first before we do anything." Just before Majima could reach into his pocket, sounds of audible arguing came from inside. Akiyama turned to see the team inside yelling at Qrow. "...the hell are they arguing about?"

A small frown came from the Mad Dog, who didn't get a chance to share the news with the two. Opening the door, the three men stepped inside, seeing Ruby yelling back at her uncle. 

_"Well we're doing it OUR way!"_

"Ruby, I... Ugh... you kids gotta understand! There's no going back if you do this! The Atlas military will hunt you down for doing this!" Qrow tried to reason with them, knowing how severe the consequences of their failure would be.

 _"Woah woah woah._ Atlas military? What's going on?" The Loan Shark had to intervene, a bit shocked to hear something about the military being involved. Ruby gave out a sigh, eyes gazing at the loan shark. "Jaune suggested we... steal an Atlas airship and fly ourselves to Atlas. Its risky, but-"

"Risky?" Akiyama spat out a laugh right after. "Risky ain't even the correct term for describing that stunt! Its dangerous!"

"I know it is, but we don't have any other choice!" She yelled out at him, tired that things just weren't working out so easily. The Loan Shark could see that, a smile coming to his face. "Well lucky for you guys, Christmas came early."

Everyone gazed at him, both confused and unamused by his line. "...what do you mean?" Ruby asked him, hoping he had a better idea. "I probably told you guys already, that I'm heading up to Mantle, right? Well I got a few potential business partners here that can give me a ride to there. I'll ask them to give all of us a lift, say that you're part of my business. Sound fair?"

"That... does sound fair." Weiss tapped her chin, deciding to go along with the idea. "Alright, we can do that. Its safer and more likely to succeed."

"Sorry Jaune, better luck next time." Yang patted the blonde on the shoulder before walking to Majima. "Well, we can talk more about the plan tomorrow. Its getting late, where are we staying?"

Cupping his chin, Majima began to raise a brow at her. "We?"

"Yeah, _we._ Got a problem with that?"

That request did leave the Mad Dog frozen for a bit. "Uh... n-no, go ahead. Just grab y'er things. Ain't enough room in this house for all of us anyway."

With a wink, Yang began to head upstairs to grab her belongings. Already the Mad Dog could tell what feelings she had towards him. He watched as everyone moved to prepare for the night. As for Akiyama, he would approach Jaune. "Hey, by the way, er... where am I sleeping?"

"Oh, well my sister has a guest room for Nora, Ren and I. You could sleep with us if you'd like." For some reason, Akiyama felt like he would get along just well with Jaune's group. "Heh, sounds good. I really owe you one."

Ruby, Weiss, and Qrow would head upstairs to share another room, which made the ice princess groan a bit. "Ruby, do we really have to share a room with him? Isn't he... still upset?" The redhead had to take that into account, realizing it wasn't going to be easy talking to him. "Yeah, there's only room for us three, plus Blake and Kiryu. We can... share a bed if you'd like?" A nervous chuckle came out of her, which made Weiss blush at the idea. To think they'd be sleeping together for the first time. "I-I suppose... we don't have another choice. Just don't put your feet on me."

Seeing that the two were getting closer, Blake would smile at the two talking at the top of the stairs before approaching Kiryu. "Where do you want to stay? We can sleep here or at a motel like Majima and Yang."

"Oh, uh... I can sleep here. I'm too tired to walk anywhere honestly." His answer made Blake smile, as she leaned in to kiss his cheek. "Okay then, I'll be upstairs getting ready."

Once Blake had walked upstairs, Majima approached the Dragon, leaning close to his ear.

"...got some bad news I wanted to share with you earlier, might be related to Akiyama's plan." 

"What is it?"

"...look at my right hand."

As soon as he heard that, Kiryu began to hesitate for a moment. His eyes were focused on the others socializing as they were getting ready for bed before turning to his buddy's right hand. His pupils shrunk, seeing the bad news he didn't want to believe. Resting in Majima's hand was his scroll, showing a photo of few men in suits walking around Argus, each wearing a pin of the Tojo Clan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I've been super late on writing a new chapter. I recently got a new job so its been taking most of my time, as well as finishing up Yakuza 6. Hopefully you're enjoying the fic! I had a struggle with this chapter on how much to reveal and whatnot, but I genuinely like how it turned out!


	11. Past, Present, and Future

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yakuza 5 spoilers ahead. Read at your discretion.

Stepping inside that motel room was like stepping into a private world of their own. Majima walked in with his bag of necessities, Yang following behind with her own before setting it upon one of the beds. "Well, looks like we'll be waking up peacefully now, am I right?"

"Yeah, it'll be a nice wake up." Taking a seat upon one of the beds, Majima exhaled an odd breath that carried the worries building up inside him. "Wow... you suck at hiding things, y'know?"

His head turned towards Yang, who was smiling at him. "The hell is that s'pose to mean?" He was unamused by the comment, scooting aside as Yang approached the bed to take a seat beside him. She couldn't help but to make sure closely so their legs were rubbed together, a gesture that made Majima hesitate on moving away. She looked up at him, hands folded on her lap. "What I mean is... you aren't hiding away whatever's bothering you so easily. Especially towards me."

Well that was true. Majima had grown comfortable around the other to the point he could lower his guard. 

"I mean... I don't know what's really bothering you, and I won't force you to open up, but... I'd love it if you would let me help." Yang would unfold one of her hands and move it onto Majima's that was resting over his knee. She needed him to understand that her presence was here, and he shouldn't feel the need to hide things like a certain faunus had done before. 

The air was silent between them, with Majima staring at the floor aimlessly. He wasn't sure where to begin, but so much had happened, and it was too much to process. In fact, Yang was one of the biggest things that bothered him, in a manner that he needed an explanation for. "Tell me, Yang. I gotta know... why did you want to come with me here?"

Her eyes opened up, realizing that was a personal question she wasn't prepared for. "I... well..." Moving away, she would move some of her hair behind her ear.

"Take y'er time."

"Heh, thanks." A smile appeared before she took a breath to calm herself. "I guess... well, I wanted to be there for you."

"For me?"

"Yeah... remember when we first met at Haven, how troubled I was about Blake? Well, it helped that you were there to take me on that walk around the school, to the gardens."

"Heh, you didn't seem happy about it at first."

The two gave out short laughs at the memory, smiles on their faces. "Well, it felt... honestly too difficult for me to accept that Blake wasn't going to be mine, as selfish as that sounds. I really was in love with her, but to hear that Kiryu beat me to the punch, it hurt more than I ever imagined. Possibly as much as finding out how my mom abandoned Ruby and I since we were kids."

A frown began to appear on her face, remembering how awful she reacted. "I was such a _bitch_ to Blake... I pushed her away, didn't want to talk, then when Kiryu fell off the train I... remembered how lifeless she looked. Like she was ready to die if she couldn't live without him here. That's when I knew... I was never going to be her's. Then you yelled at her."

That memory made the Mad Dog look away, throat bobbing as he didn't want to recall the scene in his head.

"The way you pushed her, yelled at her, it was everything I felt inside, except you were willing to actually hurt someone because you both lost the same person. Call me a coward, but I couldn't hit Blake, as much as I wanted to-"

"Don't mean its a good thing though... be glad you aren't someone like me."

Her eyes blinked, deciding to keep a mental note of what he said for later. "Yeah... well... nobody except you really talked to me when I was angry, I kept pushing Ruby, Weiss, and anyone away when they asked if I was angry about something. Sure you forced me to, but maybe that was what I needed. So when we were out in the snow, I had to calm you down. Make sure you didn't do anything reckless, y'know?"

Majima would nod his head, his face lifeless as he paid attention to those words. Everything she was saying, there was a reason why she was sticking around for him. 

"After everything you told me, about how close you were to Kiryu, and me telling you about my mom, it... uh... h-how do I say this..?" Scratching the back of her head, Yang began to blush a little from the embarrassing thought running in her mind. "I... feel happy around you, safe even. Like I can go to you and tell you about some things in me that I normally wouldn't share with anyone... do you understand?"

With a single nod of his head, Majima would bring a sense of reassurance and comfort to the blonde sitting besides him. 

"Great... that's great then. Um, do you mind if I ask something? I don't know if its personal or not." Yang would fiddle her thumbs, wondering if it was okay to peek a little into Majima's history. 

Making himself comfortable, the Mad Dog took out a cigarette and a lighter. "Want one?"

"Oh, no thanks." Watching him light up the stick, Yang waited for his first drag to happen before asking. "Earlier at Saphron's house... when Weiss asked if we wanted kids of our own, you seemed... well, like you didn't feel comfortable at the topic. Did... something happen?"

Something did happen. The Mad Dog's brows furrowed as he took in a breath before answering. "Yeah. Something happened."

"Are you comfortable sharing it?"

Well, they were here alone, and their friendship was developing very well. Might as well spill the beans. "I never told anyone... not even Kiryu, so you're the first set of ears i'm telling this to. Please, keep it between us."

That was surprising, and honestly it felt like a honor. To hear this before Kiryu, in a sense it gave Yang a position over him she'd been wanting. "Yeah, whatever we say here stays between us."

A slight smile appeared over his lips, knowing he could trust Yang. "...Kids bother me, not because I hate 'em. Its because my ex-wife aborted our child."

Yang couldn't believe it. An abortion? The thought of it sent a bullet through her gut just hearing the words. "Oh... _holy fuck..._ I'm so sorry..."

"Don't be. Its why I can't stand kids... just reminds me what I would've had." He raised a cigarette to his lips, taking in a drag before blowing out the smoke to the open space before them. "I... thought I was going to be happy, being a father and all... but no. She aborted the kid because she was a rising star in the idol industry. I mean... I understand there's rules... but she didn't have to _fucking_ kill our child like that! Without me knowin' before gettin' an abortion..." 

His teeth were shown, angry that his ex-wife did something behind his back. It hurt like hell, knowing he lost his chance to be a father. "I... never hit a woman in my life til that point. Maybe she just cared more about her stupid fucking career than the baby growing inside her."

It was awful, to think Majima could have been a father, but instead he was here, a ex-yakuza fighting to save the world. Yang couldn't help but to look down, hands clenching tight as she had to hear the horrible tragedy. To her, an abortion was something he never asked for, and in turn took away more than what Majima could ever hope to regain. "Majima... I-"

"Don't. I don't need to hear anything like _I'm sorry_ or whatever... I was doin' more harm than good by stayin' with her. 'Sides, I feel happier than I did before." He would turn to Yang with a smile on his face, despite how hurt the blonde was feeling from his story.

She couldn't help but to smile a little. To think that Majima was still smiling after losing two important people in his life. "How long ago did this happen?"

"About... uh, let's see. I'm 24, so about three years ago."

24... to think he was just 6 years older than her. "Would you... ever date another woman if you had the chance?"

Unintentionally, the question brought a somber look to Majima's face. His head turning away. "I'm just bad with love... remember back at the garden how I mentioned there was a woman I had to let go? Well, she was the one I found after my ex-wife. Blind woman, was bein' hunted by the Tojo Clan, if I stayed with her it would've just brought her trouble." A sigh came out of his lips, moving his cigarette in circles to form a line of smoke. 

"Wow, talk about lady troubles." Yang tried to make light of the situation, letting out a short laugh before she returned to her frown from earlier. "Well, to be honest... I never thought of myself as a mother, but when my mom ran off and I had to take care of Ruby, it did make me wonder what kind of man I would marry and start a family with."

"Did you ever find a man you loved?"

"Not really. I had a few boyfriends before but man... they were such cowards. Ran off when bullies came to fight me. Kinda sucks not having anyone stick their neck out for you... but I understood why. They were just weaker than me. They never had to put themselves on the line to protect somebody like I did with Ruby." Yang would look down at her knees, hands rubbing against the fabric of her dark jeans. 

The moment passed with silence as they sat there, Majima taking a drag as Yang felt unsure of what to do. Nothing would occur, but both of them knew what they wanted: They wanted the other to make a first move. Simultaneously, he'd rest his hand over Yang's prosthetic as she rested her head against his shoulder. It did shock the two of them internally, but it brought relief knowing they were on the same wavelength. 

After a few rubs of her prosthetic, Majima would move his hand to the blonde's head, rubbing against her ear facing away from him. His fingers brought yang protection and warmth, a smile appearing as he stroked the golden locks of her hair. Again, she'd let nobody touch her hair, but he was an exception.

"Hey..."

"...Yeah?" Majima spoke up, resting his head against the blonde's.

"...would you... like it if we slept on the same bed tonight?"

A smile came to his lips, hand moving towards Yang's waist where he could rub her exposed waist. "I'd do more than sleepin' if that's what y'er askin'..." Yang would let out a giggle before sitting up straight, lilac eyes focused on the man sitting next to her. "Just promise me something."

"Promise you what?" 

As her arms reached in to wrap around his neck, Yang would lean dangerously close to the man's lips, eyes focused on them before moving up to his eye. "Don't abandon me... please."

He knew why she was asking that. She was lucky he was the type to never flee. He wasn't ever going to run from anything, especially a situation like this. He leaned in, pressing his soft lips against the other's, deciding to take a leap further into recognizing what feelings he held for Yang. She too would kiss Majima, letting her eyes close as her arms pulled his body closer to her's. Her large bossom pressing against the suit he wore.

After a few seconds of holding their kiss, Majima pulled away. "...y'er sure you want someone like me? People could chase you down too if they see you're with me."

"Like I give a damn... what's a couple of thugs compared to Salem?" A smug smile came to her lips as she leaned in to kiss Majima even further. Her body was craving for him, a fire that was beginning to grow bigger inside of her. It was safe they had the room to themselves, because it gave both partners total reign to do as they pleased. Majima would pull her in, hands placed on the back of her head and waist as lips pressed against his new lover's.

For a moment, Yang licked his lips, letting out a small giggle as she crawled onto his lap, the weight of her body stimulating the Mad Dog's arousal. "We could go all out tonight if you'd like."

"...I don't see a problem with it." He removed his gloves before rubbing his hands onto Yang's skin. It felt warm and smooth, his hands craving to learn how her curves felt while memorizing the warmth it brought. His body would lay down against the bed, with Yang deciding it was safe to remove her jacket and shirt to expose the yellow bra she wore underneath. 

"I know we can't have one right now... but maybe someday in the future when this is all over, we could always have a kid of our own?"

Yang's suggestion made Majima smile like an idiot. "Y-Yeah, I would love somethin' like that, with you of course." His response made her smile, hands reaching down to rub against the muscles on the Mad Dog's torso. How thick they felt, how warm it was, she wanted to sink her fingers inside to warm herself up. Luckily she wasn't into hurting people out of sexual pleasure. She would lean in, lips attaching to the side of Majima's neck before giving soft kisses. Light moans came out of him, enjoying the love she was going to give him. There'd been so many times where love just fucked him over in the wrong ways that he refrained from getting attached to women, but tonight was different. Yang was going to be the lucky chance he had going for him.

He bit his lip, eye gazing at the ceiling before as Yang sucked on his neck with the intent of leaving a mark. _"Y-Yang... ngh..."_

* * *

It was 3:34am when he checked his scroll. Kiryu couldn't sleep, not because he was having a nightmare, or that he was troubled by thoughts running in his head. He was just not sleepy. It was okay however, Blake was sleeping next to him, with her head resting on his shoulder. It was protecting him from the haunted past he had. 

His eyes gazed at the barely lit room, with little light provided from the street lamp outside that was blocked by curtains. He'd notice that Qrow was asleep on the floor in a separate set of blankets that seemed uncomfortable, but the older gentleman reassured everyone it was all he needed. His head moved to see Ruby and Weiss were sleeping on the main bed together. It was cute, seeing the ice princess cuddling into Ruby's arms. Deep down he hoped they found success in their love for each other. 

As for Blake, he was already happy with her. She was asleep, which gave him the time to inspect every detail of her face. From how small her nose was, to cheeks not so puffy. It was rare he saw her without eyeshadow and liner, but it didn't mean she was any less ugly. In fact, it made him feel butterflies wondering how lucky he was to be able to see the faunus sleeping peacefully in her most vunerable state.

He knew he wasn't going to fall asleep like this. Slowly, his hands carefully lifted Blake's head so he could scoot out from underneath before setting her down onto the pillow. Kiryu would then repeat the process with her arm that rested upon his chest, setting it down in place so he could stand up and walk out of the bedroom with his red shirt. Down the hall, Kiryu would make his way into the bathroom to rinse his face and inspect himself.

He was looking much livelier than before back when the Ten Billion Lien Incident had ended. He'd gotten more sleep, his eyes had life in them, it made him smile naturally of course. His skin was looking healthy. For the sake of moving in the house, he'd button his shirt to hide his body, and his tattoo. Drying his hands, Kiryu would step out into the empty hallway before he heard sounds of a baby crying in a bedroom nearby. 

("That's right... the owners here have a kid. I should check up on them, see if they're okay.")

Slowly, he'd make his way towards the source of the noise, seeing the light shining beneath the door when one of them turned on the switch. Carefully he'd place his ear against the door, hearing Saphron trying to calm down the baby as Terra groaned from the duty she was given.

Very gently he'd knock on the door, or at least tried to when it opened up.

A small gasp came out of Terra when she saw Kiryu was standing there. "Oh dear goodness... you nearly scared me. Is everything okay, Kiryu?"

"A-Ah... yeah. I can't sleep, so I was in the bathroom til I heard the baby crying."

"Oh, well he's just hungry. I'm going downstairs to make him something if you'd like me to make you something to drink."

"Oh, sure." A smile came to his lips as he walked down the hall and staircase to the kitchen, with Terra leading the way.

In the kitchen, Kiryu observed as Terra took out a small tin of baby formula and a water-filled baby bottle. "So Kiryu, you ever plan on having kids?"

"Huh?" Sitting there with his cup of hot cocoa in hand, Kiryu gazed idlely at the brown beverage with floating marshmellows. "Oh, I uh... its complicated." A small hum came out of the mother as she sealed the cap and began shaking the bottle to mix the formula. "Complicated huh? Bet you're wondering how my wife and I had a kid together, since we're both-"

"No... its not that. I'm aware of artificial insemination. Its just... my kid isn't biologically mine. She's the child of my former love." Yumi... if only she were alive today. A brow raised at him coming from Terra, who eased herself down when she noticed the somber look on his face. "You're free to share if you'd like. I can tell you're haunted by something." 

Looking up at her, Kiryu pursed his lips before lifting his mug to take a sip. Immediately he pulled away, letting out a light noise as the drink still felt too hot to drink. A short laugh came out of Terra as she noticed his reaction. "Better take it easy, mister."

"Y-Yeah... well... my kid lost her mother and father. Her mom was my childhood friend, but I was in Beacon by the time she met another man. Some... terrible things happened that I would prefer not to go into, but it left my kid as an orphan, like me."

A frown came to her face, hearing the story. "I'm sorry... I can't imagine how difficult it must be to be an orphan." It was pretty difficult. It was a struggle only orphans knew. Terra would stop shaking the bottle, smiling as she warmed it up by using the hot water from the sink rather than the microwave. "So, how old is your child? Are they a boy or girl?"

"Girl. She's about 9... her name is Haruka."

"Haruka. What a sweet name, so where is she? Back at home?"

"Yeah... back at the orphanage I grew up in." In a way, Kiryu felt terrible about leaving her there, but both he and Haruka understood why. He was going on a dangerous mission and there was no reason to drag a child into this mess.

"Well, I think you'd make a great father." Terra would point out, drying the bottle with one of the cloths available.

He'd look up, surprised to hear her comment. "Really? You think so?" His eyes lit up for a moment, smiling at the thought of it. 

"Mhm! Its a lot of work, but a parent's love for their child is something worth fighting for. Don't you agree?" Terra's comment did make Kiryu ponder on the thought of being a father. He was here to stop Salem not just for the sake of stopping her, but he was protecting Haruka in the long run. Her smile, her presence, her dependence on him is what drove Kiryu. Sure he nearly wanted to drop everything and return to her as soon as he could, but he was lucky to realize from people like Ayuto that it wasn't okay to run away. That it was vital he fought anything that could harm his daughter.

"Yeah... I agree."

"Well, I'll leave you alone for tonight. I gotta get upstairs and feed my kid, have a goodnight, 'kay?"

"Sure, goodnight."

Watching Terra walk off after storing the baby formula away, Kiryu was left to himself. He'd take out his scroll, revealing a photo of Haruka and him posing smiling as they were sitting at a park together after having won a stuffed doll for her from the arcade. The look of her smile, how tired he was yet still managed to smile through the pain of losing his loved ones. It was clear Haruka was the most important person to him, right next to Blake.

He couldn't help but to give out a sigh, eyes watering as he looked up at the ceiling while biting his lip. With a exhale of determination, Kiryu smiled through the stress built inside him. "Don't worry Haruka... just wait a little longer. I'll be home soon." Taking his mug, he'd drink the beverage, smiling at how warm it made his chest.

"So, that's Haruka?"

Flinching in his seat from the familiar voice, Kiryu turned behind him to see Blake was standing there without her coat and boots on. Just her top and tight jeans. "H-How long were you there for?"

"Just a sec, really." She gave him a smile, arms behind her back before she brought her hands to his shoulders. "I was actually awake as soon as you left the bedroom. Figured you were in the restroom til I heard down the hall you couldn't sleep."

An unamused look came to him, eyes gazing over her face. "Blake... you should sleep. Aren't you tired?"

"I am, but I can't sleep without you. I can wait with you here." Pulling out a seat, Blake sat beside the other. "Mind if I look at it more?" She pointed to the photo of him and Haruka together.

With a nod, Kiryu handed the faunus his scroll before drinking more of his beverage. "So... how long did you take care of her for?" Blake asked, eyes scanning the photo of her lover and his adoptive daughter.

"Only a few months, starting sometime after the Fall of Beacon." 

She'd gaze over the photo, smiling at how happy he looked with his adoptive daughter. "Did you ever plan on having kids?" That question didn't seem hard to answer, especially when he was an orphan himself. "Yeah, but with Haruka around, I can't afford to have another. What about you?"

"O-Oh, me? I... never really thought about it to be honest. Especially when I was with Adam..." She rubbed her arms, letting out a sigh of disappointment. "I was always thinking more about what I could do for the White Fang instead of myself really." 

Her eyes gazed at Kiryu, a small blush coming to her cheeks. "But now that I'm with you... m-maybe I could think about it for once. I wouldn't mind being the mother of your child." 

Hearing that response made his cheeks blush, hiding himself away behind his mug he drank out of. It only made Blake let out a short giggle. "Don't worry, it won't happen anytime soon. There's still a lot of work to be done. Once this is over, maybe you could introduce me to Haruka?"

Blake and Haruka, would they really be there forever by his side? "I... I'd love that."

The two smiled at each other, with Kiryu becoming surprised when his drink was finally emptied. "Seems like you ran out. Want to head back to bed?" 

"Yeah, let me wash my cup first."

It didn't take long before the two were back upstairs and in bed again. They both noticed how Weiss was cuddled up to Ruby, a sight that warmed their heart. "You think Majima and Yang are okay?" Blake asked, snuggling herself closer to her lover's body. Because of her cat-like traits, she'd moved her head against his skin in a cute manner. 

"Most likely, they probably just wanted to be alone." His fingers began to stroke through Blake's raven hair, a second hand wrapped around her body to keep her close. It didn't take long for Blake to fall asleep, given that Kiryu was physically comforting her.

It was something she never received from Adam. From slaps, to him groping her without permission whenever he tried to make his moves, Blake wasn't used to comforting gestures except from her parents. It was just perfect for her that Kiryu was alive and cuddled with her, giving her the love needed to heal old wounds.

As for Kiryu, Blake was the piece needed to fill the empty hole in his chest. He might've lost Yumi, but Blake was there to assure him he wasn't alone, and that Haruka would have a mother figure sometime in the future.

Both partners fell asleep, knowing they supplied one another with what was missing in their lives. Blake soon found herself dreaming of raising a family with her beloved instead of another nightmare. No longer was she plagued by the past. Right now, she had a future worth fighting for.


	12. Unwanted Faces

The buzzing of a scroll was the last thing he wanted to hear after a long night with Yang. Majima, who was still sore after their sessions from yesterday, found himself groaning as he pulled the sheets over his head. Yang was still exhausted as much as he was, and gave out a sigh as she lazily reached over for the desk aimlessly. Her eyes remained shut, as they were heavy from being disturbed mid-sleep. After a few tries of trying to reach for her scroll, the blonde would seize grip around it before pulling it to her ear, answering it with a hand rubbing the bangs out of her face.

"...hello?"

 _"Yang! Where are you? Its 12 in the afternoon!"_ Weiss' voice was loud enough to make Yang move the scroll away, a look of discomfort on her face.

"...we just woke up... what's up?" She'd sit up and yawn, stretching her arms and back as her muscles felt sore.

_"What's up? Well we're all waiting for you and the Mad Dog to return to Saphron's! You know today we're going to be leaving to Atlas."_

Raising a hand to her face, Yang gave out a disappointed groan, having forgotten about the mission. "Right... we'll be right there." Hanging up the scroll, Yang would place it back down on the desk before her eyes began to open. A hand ran over the sheets covering Majima's arm. "Hey, you heard that, right?"

"...yeah... still sleepy though..."

A short giggle came out as she began to press herself against him. "Aw, what's wrong? Did I leave you too sore after last night?" The sheets came off as Majima sat up. His eyes were heavy and opened halfway, a exhausted expression on his face. "...From all the ridin' you did to me, I sure as hell would like to sleep in a lil longer..." 

His comment only made Yang want to tease him further. "Really? Was I that rough? I could've sworn I was being gentle with you." She gave out another laugh, watching as the Mad Dog stood out of bed with just his briefs. The sounds of pants being fitted and a belt buckled made Yang disappointed. "Guess we really gotta get up now..."

"Yeah, don't need to hear the others screamin' at me because we fucked 'n slept in."

As blunt as he was, it was amusing and comforting to Yang, who stood out of bed to clip on her bra and dress herself into her usual attire. "So, we're not tellin' them what we did, are we?"

Her question made the Mad Dog gaze at her, confused and unsure where she was getting at. "Huh? Why would we? Its not like I got you pregnant. I used protection."

"No, yeah you did... its just... n-nevermind." Shaking her head, Yang decided it was a stupid question to ask. Obviously she wouldn't tell anyone the two were close now and they fucked.

* * *

It wasn't long before Yang rang the doorbell to Saphron's house, where the door was opened by Terra and everyone inside was seen idling at the living room. Weiss was sitting between Akiyama and Ruby, her head moving to see who was at the door. Her eyes narrowed at the two stepping in, clearly not happy she and Majima showed up late. "Well guess who's late to the party."

"Yeah yeah, I know. Majima and I just lost track of time by watching movies." She smiled innocently, trying to cover what they actually did. Weiss rolled her eyes, letting out a sigh as she turned to Akiyama. "Well, go ahead. Everyone is here."

With a nod, the Loan Shark stood up and clasped his hands together. "Okay, let's see..." He pursed his lips, lost at where he should begin. "So, the plan is to get to Atlas, right? Well, clearly getting an Atlas airship didn't work out. So, I'll be having you guys come with me through my transportation. I have a few business partners here in Argus who want to meet up with me through some connections I made."

"What kind of connections" Raising her hand, Ruby felt a little unsure about who it was Akiyama knew. A smile came to his lips, turning towards the redhead. "Nothing to worry about, just some business men that are part of the Loan Shark business. They'd figure it would drive up profits when competition is formed, since there's not much presence over in Mantle."

"So where do we meet these people?" Blake had to ask, curious about their location.

"Good question... we can go to the Business District to meet them. Everybody ready? Let's go." Gesturing for everyone to stand up and follow, Akiyama would begin to lead the group outside of the house, each person thanking Saphron and Terra for the hospitality.

This plan wouldn't be so bad, if he knew why the Tojo Clan was present. Kiryu had a small look that expressed his bother. Even Blake noticed it as they were walking. She'd tug at his sleeve, gazing up in worry. "Hey, is everything okay?"

"Yeah." He lied, wishing that the presence of the Tojo Clan in Argus was nothing to worry about. Deep down, he knew things would get bad if their presence was connected to Akiyama's plan. It'd ruin everything and hinder their progress.

The group walked together, each of them gazing at the surroundings of the Business District. Restaurants, shops, even a large mall was present. "Man... Wish we could stop by the mall and explore it." Yang spoke up, unable to take her eyes off the entrance of the shopping center.

Eventually Akiyama began to slow down, coming to a stop at a glass door connected to a large building. "Here we are, Argus Loans." He read the name of the shop above the glass door. Casually he walked in, noticing the main lobby was a decent size with a few clerks available. Akiyama approached one of them, leaving everyone else to wait by the entrance. "Yo, I'm here to see Keiji?"

"And who might you be? Our boss is really selective of his guests."

"Shun Akiyama, tell him someone from Kamurocho sent him here."

"Very well." Pressing a few buttons on her phone, the clerk would begin to speak with her boss while Akiyama returned to the group. Weiss had a smile on her face, noticing the casual smirk the Loan Shark had. "How did it go?"

With a shrug, the man gave a nod of satisfaction. "Pretty good. Just gotta wait til they call me in." Now was time to play the waiting game. While everyone was busy trying to pass the time, either by chatting or playing on their scrolls, Kiryu and Majima leaned against the wall.

"...I don't like this one bit." The Mad Dog was observing the main lobby, trying to see if he could find anyone suspicious. "Neither do I..." Kiryu was doing the same, hoping he wouldn't find anyone with the pin of a Tojo Clan member.

It wasn't long before Akiyama received a message on his scroll telling him to go to the third floor at the manager's office. "Yo! Everyone, let's go. Its important my partner sees who he's taking." Leading the way to the elevator, both groups would split in half to rise up to the third floor. Once everyone was together, Akiyama continued to lead them down the hall to the office he was directed.

"301... 302... 303... where's his office?"

"What number is it?" Weiss asked, also looking at the numbers labeled next to each door.

"307. Shouldn't be too far off." Akiyama continued moving, soon stopping as a business man was at the corner of the hallway. He was dressed neatly, hair combed with glasses attached to his face. "Greetings, you must be Mr. Akiyama. We've been expecting you." A smile was on this man's face, voice gentle yet formal.

Scratching his neck, the Loan Shark began to stand up straight. He was always slouching, and right now that wouldn't give him a good look. "Yeah, that's me. These here are my workers. I'll be having them help me when I open up shop in Mantle."

"Very well, allow me to guide you to the meeting room. The manager will meet you shortly." The businessman began to lead his guests to the manager's office. Holding the door open, he'd allow for everyone to step inside. "The manager will arrive shortly, thank you for your arrival." 

Hearing the door close behind them, the Loan Shark was now free to inspect the office. A few leather couches were available, along with a brown desk. There was also a few small dragon statues placed at each corner of the room, as well as bundles of binders stacked in a bookshelf, along with text sitting amongst those shelves.

"Huh, this business partner of your's seems... refined." Weiss had to point out, while everyone simply sat and waited. Qrow gave out a sigh, gazing up at the clock ticking before him. "So how long are we waiting for this guy? The sooner we get to Atlas, the better."

Shaking his head, Akiyama gave a small frown. "Not sure, but relax. We'll get there, I'm sure of it."

...

Time passed, almost a half hour of waiting began to tick everyone off. 

"This guy isn't even here yet... where is he?" Qrow scoffed at how long he was waiting for, deciding a nice swig of his flask would help settle his mood. Ruby on the otherhand, didn't seem to approve of the gesture. "Uncle Qrow... just be patient. I know its been half an hour, but-"

"But but, blah blah blah. If a man has a meeting, he needs to show up on time!" Maria called out to Ruby, clearly upset that an old lady like her has to wait longer than necessary.

The sound of the door opening brought relief to everyone, with Akiyama turning to see who it was. "Oh finally! I thought we would-"

A punch to the face sent the Loan Shark flying towards the middle of the room, a groan coming out as he rubbed his cheek. Weiss and a few others stood up, all glaring at the person who just walked in. "What the hell was that for?!" Yang called out, clearly pissed that their greeting was by throwing a punch at someone in the face. 

"Heh... boss said to take you guys out." The thug gave a grin, cracking his knuckles as a few other men showed up behind him. Weiss quickly leaned down to help the Loan Shark to his feet. "Hey, you okay? I think its time we leave!"

"Yeah... let's cancel this appointment." Rubbing his cheek, Akiyama groaned from how hurt he felt, he shouldn't have let his guard down. Standing up, he'd crack his knuckles as eyes glared at the thug before him. "Consider this my 1-star review on this place!" A spin was executed, followed by his foot kicking the thug back against their partners. "Come on! Let's ditch this place!" 

"Right!" Everyone agreed as they followed the Loan Shark out of the hall way, with each of them trampling over the thugs on the ground to put them out of commission.

Arriving at the elevators, Kiryu and Majima ran up to stand beside Akiyama as the doors opened. More goons began to exit out of the elevators, some of them holding pipes or metal bats.

"Weapons? Really?" Maria scoffed at their use of lethality. She'd turn to the three men, shooing at them. "Well go on! Beat their asses!"

Each of them ran up to the crowd of men, taking on more than they should. Kiryu was punching anyone that got close without a weapon, while Majima handled on taking care of those with weapons. His dagger sliced at their chest and wrists, making them bleed while Akiyama focused and support. Kicks were shot out at anyone that attempted to harm the former yakuzas in their battle.

Coming from the second hallway, more thugs charged at the group. "Tch, damn bastards." Qrow readied his fist before throwing it heavily against one of the thug's in the face. Just as they landed on their back, Qrow didn't hesitate to stomp their face, digging his heel into their nose. "I think its 'bout time I start letting out my anger... Ruby! Get the girls and Oscar downstairs to the lobby! The men and I can handle these jackasses!" 

"What about you?" 

"Don't worry about us! Just go!" He ordered his niece to listen. After all, she and her friends could take care of anyone that came across their path. With a nod, Ruby began to lead the team through a staircase. Blake stopped to look at Kiryu slamming a thug's head against the wall, winching before she closed the door behind her once she was the last person. 

Panting as he had more goons to take care of, Qrow knew he had to step up his game. Taking out Harbringer, he began to swing it against the thugs that ran at him. Blood spilled as he sliced at their bodies, not dismembering but leaving flesh wounds. "Damn thugs, going up against a professional huntsmen!" He yelled out before launching a kick towards one of the incoming goons who had a dagger in hand. 

"Yo! Old man, let's go!" Majima called out to Qrow before making his way to the emergency staircase. Kiryu, Akiyama, and Qrow followed behind, each of them trying to catch their breaths "Akiyama... why are they attacking us?" Kiryu had to stop to rest for a moment, glaring at the Loan Shark. "You didn't set us up, did you?"

"What? No!" He felt awful for having dragged his buddies into this mess. "I don't even know why they're attacking us either, but first we gotta get out of here!"

With no other choice but to listen, Kiryu continued to make his way to the first floor. Upon entering, he'd stop to see the entire lobby was in chaos. Team RWBY, Jaune and his group were all fighting off thugs that littered the place. Oscar was defending Maria, whipping his cane against any incoming thug. 

Kiryu looked around for Blake, noticing she was having trouble with a thug swinging a metal bat at her. She'd dodge every attack, unable to find the breathing room to swing her sword, She wasn't skilled at hand-to-hand combat, which made her struggle at countering the thug. "Stop or I'll shoot! I'm serious!" She hissed at him, transforming her weapon into its gun form. 

The thug gave out a heavy laugh, one that was condescending almost. "Shoot me? With a stupid toy like that? _Hahaha-!"_ His laughter came to a halt when his shoulder was poked, turning to see the Dragon of Dojima standing there with a glare on his face. "W-When did you-" A heavy fist shot at the thug's face, sending him flying through a window as he cried out in pain. 

Blake gave out a sigh of relief as she stood close to him. "Thanks, do you know why they're attacking us?" Kiryu shook his head, fists ready to do the talking to any incoming thug. "No, but first we gotta get rid of these punks."

Majima rushed in to save Yang, who was successfully holding herself well until a thug wrapped his arms under her shoulders to trap her. Hopping in the air, the Mad Dog brought his foot against the thug's face, forcing them to release the woman. "Phew, thanks for that!" Yang smiled as she looked ahead, immediately throwing a punch at a incoming thug that wanted to strike the Mad Dog. 

"Heh, now we're even." He grinned before his hand reached out to the side, grabbing a thug that rushed at him, who assumed Majima wasn't expecting them to strike. Pulling the thug against a wall, the Mad Dog grabbed their head and began to slam it repeatedly back and forth until he stepped aside, letting Yang finish them off with a heavy punch to the gut. It'd knock them out immediately, and she would move her golden hair behind her shoulders before winking at her boyfriend.

Ruby and Weiss were successful in taking down multiple thugs that surrounded them, whether it'd be the rose swinging her scythe in a circle, or the ice queen launching an ice attack that'd freeze her enemies before taking them down one by one. Jaune would support Oscar in defending Maria, while Ren and Nora took care of any goons outside. Her hammer allowed her to clear the large crowds that formed outside.

Qrow cracked his knuckles as he stepped up to the biggest of the bunch, red eyes glaring at the leader of this attack. "You in charge?"

"Yeah, and I'll be burying you under lieutenant's orders." The brute cracked his knuckles before throwing a few heavy swings at the slender gentleman. Qrow ducked and stepped away from every swing before he'd punch at their gut twice. Grabbing their head, he'd bring it down with full force against his knee to knock them back. It wasn't enough though, he had to deal more damage to take out this guy. 

It was a shame that Qrow couldn't' dodge a grab, because the brute had quite the grip. He lifted the older gentleman above the ground before swinging him against a wall, cracking it a bit. It was a swing the brute put all his energy into, as he tried to crush Qrow's head between his hand and wall. Crying out in pain, Qrow dropped to the ground as he was released. He'd look up to see the brute about to stomp their foot onto his head, and with quick timing Qrow rolled out of the way onto his back. He'd swing his foot up, kicking the brute back towards Majima who swung his dagger against their back. The brute grunted, stumbling forward towards Kiryu who shot a punch to their chest, two to the gut, and squeezed their skull with his fists before bringing it down to his knee. Akiyama rushed in, jumping into the air with his foot swinging with full momentum from a spin to launch down onto the brute's face, finally putting him out of commission.

Everyone was exhausted, panting as they took out more than 20 goons. "Whoever sent this many people definitely wanted to kill us all..." Blake felt scared, wondering why a large amount of men were ordered to take them out.

"I don't know... but whoever it is is sure as hell getting their skull punched in." Yang glared, reloading her gauntlets. Akiyama was seen shaking his head, frowning in guilt. "Guys... I... this shouldn't have happened. I'm sorry..." 

His shoulder was patted by Weiss, who gave him a disappointed sigh. "Its fine, none of us are hurt, at least everyone except Qrow. Let's find this business partner and have him explain why he sent those men." 

"Guys... we should step outside..." Ruby would call out to everyone, noticing that Ren and Nora were surrounded by a unreasonably large amount of men. Immediately the sight sent a huge flash of anxiety over each person in the room. Whoever was sending this many men towards Akiyama and his group clearly had a message to send. Everyone would run out of the messed up lobby, abandoning the ruined furniture and glass windows that were broken. 

Nora was worried, backed up against Ren. "Why are there so many thugs out here?!"

"I don't know, but Ruby and the other's are done fighting, look." Ren pointed to the front door of the building, smiling as Ruby and her team stood beside the pair that were struggling against the large crowd outside.

Jaune was the most worried, considering they were his teammates. "Ren! Nora! Are you two okay?!"

"Jaune, why are there so many people?!" The Valkyrie wanted an answer, clearly mad yet scared.

One thing was off though, none of them were staring at Ruby, Jaune, or any of them from Beacon. Akiyama and Majima noticed their eyes were focused on one man. A sweatdrop came down his forehead, realizing the situation he was in. All 100 men had their eyes focused on Kiryu. 

"Yo... Kiryu. They're all looking at you." Majima spoke up, his words being heard by everyone in their team. Qrow scowled at them, stepping closer to the Dragon. "Hey kid, why are they staring you down? You know these people?"

As much as he didn't want to answer, Kiryu knew he had no choice. His friends were at risk. "...Yeah. They're from the Tojo Clan."

Blake felt a shock of anxiety run through her, her body shuffling closer towards Kiryu. "Aren't they... your former clan? Why are they here?" 

"...I don't know."

"Here's a better question, why the _hell_ are they doin' here in Argus?!" Majima felt more annoyed than anything, wondering why the clan was stationed here outside of Kamurocho. Yang aimed her gauntlets at the thugs surrounding them, lilac eyes turning red. "Well whoever these guys are, they're going to regret it when I break them."

The sudden change in their formation threw everyone off, their guards kept up as the thugs surrounding them all began to bow or step aside, a linear pathway opening up as they moved like a wave. Kiryu felt confused why the path was being made towards him, until a familiar figure was seen at the very end. His heart skipped a beat, mixed emotions boiling up as he had to process who he was seeing walking towards him. 

Blake had her eyes focused on the man wearing black pinstripe suit approaching them, amber eyes narrowed at him. Majima, Qrow, and Akiyama stood by Kiryu as they noticed the Dragon was at unease seeing the man stepping towards them. Once he came close to the four, a slight smile came to his face, eyes focused only on the Dragon.

"...The Dragon of Dojima... I welcome you to Argus." He didn't bow, but had his arms crossed behind his back. He appeared to be in his 40s, voice calm yet uncomfortable to just ignore.

Akiyama had to be the one to ask, since nobody was talking about their introduction. "Yo, Kiryu. Who is this guy?"

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Keiji Shibusawa." 

His name began to make the blood boil in Kiryu's veins. This man, who ordered the deaths of Tachibana, Oda, and nearly killed Makoto, he was suppose to be incarcerated, so why the _hell_ was he here? "... what are you doing here, Shibusawa?"

"...I believe that doesn't matter to you. Though I was quite surprised when I heard that you were present from one of my men-"

 _"SHUT UP!"_ Kiryu roared at the other, trying his best to not lose his shit and beat this man after everything he's done. "You murdered... those I cared about, you _tried_ to kill Makoto, and you were imprisoned... so I won't ask again, _why_ are you here, Shibusawa?" His body shook with anger, remembering how close he was to murdering this man with one more punch. That bloodstained face, bruised cheeks and lips, the face of a psychopath who used others for his own gain to obtaining a stupid title.

Majima couldn't believe what he heard. "Makoto..?" So, this man was the one who tried to kill her. "Tch, you better answer old man before I _fuckin'_ cut you!"

Akiyama had his own anger as well. "You were the one that was suppose to help me get to Mantle, aren't you Shibusawa? What makes you think it was okay to attack these innocent people, including me?"

"Not to mention these are _my_ students. _"_ Qrow was angry as well, knowing Ruby and Yang were targeted by this very man.

Everyone standing before him was mad, that Shibusawa had the audacity to try and kill them for an unknown reason. He stood there silently, clearly unfazed by their emotions of hatred or anger. "Kiryu Kazuma... he's your reason why."

"W-What?" Qrow blinked in surprise. "...the hell he's gotta do with this?"

"He's the one who defeated me almost a year ago, and thus I was imprisoned. Fortunately for my specialty in finance and business, I had a certain... _someone_ , bail me out of prison." Shibusawa began to smile omniously towards Weiss, who began to feel uncomfortable. She stepped back, holding onto Ruby's hand for comfort. "What's that suppose to mean?"

Shaking his head, the man wouldn't give out his secrets so easily. "Its nothing for you to worry about. Though, I'm sure you're wondering why the Tojo Clan is present here in Argus, right Kiryu?"

To think they of all people would be here, a sight he never wanted to see. The Tojo Clan. Shibusawa himself. The man had the balls to be out here and grow the clan where it didn't belong. "...I don't care how you got here. I'm going to make sure you never step foot outside of your cell again. I'll bury the Tojo Clan if I must." 

"Hm, scary words there, Kiryu. Though I'm here mostly for business. If its a fight you want, I'm more than willing to have all my men attack you right now. Do you want to put more of your loved ones at risk?"

His words did make Kiryu hesitate to run up and punch him. Blake was going to get hurt by the Tojo Clan if he attacked, along with Ruby and the others. His face turned to the side, gritting his teeth to hold in his anger. ("... _Goddammit...")_

"Yo! Shibusawa." Akiyama spoke up, eyes narrowed at him. The man himself turned to the Loan Shark, clearly uninterested in him. "What do you want?" This jackass, thinking he was nothing but a ant to step on. "I might have not known these guys long enough, but they're my responsibility for dragging them here. Don't think you're going to be free from me."

His words did bother Shibusawa, who began to glare at him. "Words from a loan shark like you bear no significance to me. Its a shame that pathetic dream of your's won't come true without my help now." He smirked, seeing as Akiyama had a disappointed look of realization on his face. He then focused on group itself. "As for the rest of you, I suggest you don't intervene with me. Should you attack any of my men, I'll have them marching down your doorsteps." 

Leaving his last words to everyone, Shibusawa began to turn around to leave. Only after a few steps did he stop to turn his head back a bit. "Kiryu. I'll be waiting for our rematch."

Kiryu glared intensely as he watched the man walk away, followed by the rest of his men. As much as he wanted to charge in and start attacking, he knew he would just be repeating the past by putting everyone at risk. Majima was just as angry, having just met the man who nearly killed Makoto. It was like the past came back to haunt the two.

As for Akiyama and Qrow, they felt an obligation to look out for the group. A sigh escaped the Loan Shark's mouth, eyes facing the ground. 

"So what are we going to do now?" Nora asked, her voice filled with anxiety. Qrow gave out a disappointed groan, twisting off the cap to his flask. "We go home, rethink of another plan. Our main priority is getting to Atlas."

As true as that was, everyone knew it was no longer their only mission. Kiryu, Majima, Akiyama, even Qrow all felt anger towards Shibusawa who just threatened them. The Dragon's past was coming back to haunt them.


	13. Substories of Argus

"Here... take this." Blake had prepared a cup of tea for Kiryu, who was seemingly distressed for good reason. His former lieutenant was back, the Tojo Clan was present in Argus, and worst of all was the unknown fact that someone was helping them. Taking his drink, Kiryu muttered a soft _thank you_ before gazing at the greenish beverage inside. It was mint tea, and it'd help to soothe his mind of the thoughts running around inside his head.

Qrow had noticed Majima and Akiyama weren't exactly on the best of terms, given that the Loan Shark unknowingly had business with Shibusawa. A low groan came out as he gazed at everyone's faces. Jaune, Nora, Ren, and Team RWBY were all knowingly upset. 

"Isn't this just great..." Jaune broke the silence as he huffed a breath of frustration through his nose. Nora, who was sticking close to Ren, gently rubbed her friend's arm to cool him down. "Jaune..."

"What? What is it, Nora?" He turned to her, clearly annoyed by her. It was enough to deter her away from comforting him. "N-Nothing..."

On the other hand, Ren had to speak up. "I... think we should all take a moment to realize our situation."

"Our situation? Heh, you mean the one this dumb _fuck_ brought us into?" With his hand, Majima gestured towards Akiyama, his brows furrowed towards them. Guilt was overridden on Akiyama. "I already apologized! I didn't know he was your guys' former enemy."

"That doesn't even matter you idiot! You made plans to do business with a fuckin' _yakuza!"_ Weiss had to step her foot in, eyes glaring at the Mad Dog. "Can you stop cursing? This isn't our house and there's a baby upstairs." Akiyama grew a smile with the Ice Queen defending him. "That, and how was I suppose to know he was even one?" 

The comment made the Mad Dog grit his teeth in annoyance. "I swear, you've gotta be the stupidest fuckin'-!" Yang noticed Majima was about to raise a fist towards Akiyama, and quickly stood up to grab their hand. "Majima. Stop. You need to get a hold of yourself!"

"Really? I need to? You don't realize this guy had plans to work with someone that tried to murder Makoto! Isn't that right, Kiryu?" 

The name made everyone else look at each other in confusion, all of them turning to Kiryu who had the look of a defeated man. Blake was beside him, rubbing his arm to keep him comfortable. It was an uncomfortable silence that brought back unwanted memories. Qrow could already tell by the expression on Kiryu's face. "...Makoto. You keep running that name yet you haven't explained who she is. I'm guessing she was someone important?" The older gentleman turned to the Mad Dog, eyes narrowing at their seemingly upset face.

Majima gave a nod, only to drop back onto the couch besides Yang. "Yeah... she was some girl who Shibusawa wanted to kill over a empty patch of land that the clan was fighting over for. She owned it."

Ruby knew that was enough reason to seek vengeance against Shibusawa. "If she owned it... why couldn't they just make a deal for it?

"Because the yakuza aren't the friendliest of people to make deals with. That... and they killed her brother, Tachibana. He saved me from the clan when they were out for my head... and I... _couldn't save him."_

Kiryu felt his voice already on the verge of tears. Tachibana wasn't just a businessman his adoptive father cooperated with, he was his friend. A man who genuinely cared about those he was around with the longest. He searched hard and long for his sister, but Kiryu wasn't strong enough to save him from the torture they endured. They were so close to reuniting after years of being distanced from each other. Kiryu understood how deeply Tachibana desired to see his sister again, but he didn't live long enough to see her.

It broke his heart, watching Tachibana pass away in his arms and bringing his lifeless corpse to Makoto.

Majima knew how much pain his best friend was in. Standing up, he grabbed Akiyama by the arm and proceeded to pull him to the front entrance of Saphron's house. Everyone watched as the Mad Dog escorted the Loan Shark to the door, with Weiss and Ruby trying to intervene.

"Majima! Stop!"

"Dude calm down!"

Yet their intervention bore no fruit. Akiyama knew how deeply he had hurt everyone with his plans and felt himself being thrown out of the house, falling down onto the pavement without a ounce of resistance in him. "Stay the fuck away from us. Go home, go to Mantle, _I don't fuckin' care!"_ Majima glared down at him, heaving as the Loan Shark slowly stood up. "...I better not see your face around here again. Got it?"

"...y-yeah." 

Hearing the front door slam behind, Akiyama gave out a heavy breath. He heard the door opening again before his suitcase was thrown at him, which he nearly dodged before seeing the door shut again. Picking up his suitcase, the Loan Shark gazed at his watch. "...Well I got nothing better to do now... might as well grab lunch and find another way to Mantle."

Back inside, Weiss had slapped Majima rather heavily. "YOU. COMPLETE. JERK! The hell is the matter with you?!" Her slap had caught everyone by surprise, except Kiryu who was staring lifelessly into his cup. Yang looked away, knowing she wasn't happy with the way Majima handled things. 

The Mad Dog clicked his tongue, trying his best to ignore the slap. "The hell is the matter with me? I ain't gonna sit well with someone who wanted to work with a man that tried to murder a woman I nearly died protectin'! I went through a lot of shit because of him."

"Majima..." Qrow patted the man's shoulder, unsure whether he should feel mad or sorry for him. "...I don't blame you for the way you're feeling things, but you do realize we're now down a man because you threw him out, right?"

"Down a man?" He gazed at everyone then back at Qrow. "...I don't remember agreein' on working with that jackass." To end the conversation, Majima would head to the glass door leading to the courtyard between the houses. It was clear he wanted to be left alone. Of course, a certain blonde wasn't going to let that happen so easily. "I'll... check on him. Weiss, you should probably go and fetch Akiyama."

"Already two steps ahead of you, Yang." Weiss grabbed her red scarf to wrap around neck, with the help of Ruby smoothing it out. "I'll message you guys when I find him. In the meantime... let's just take today off. We can think of Jaune's plan later, as much as I hate to think about it."

Taking her leave, Weiss stepped out of the house, giving everyone an idea for what they should do next. Qrow turned to the group, realizing they were still intent on taking an airship. "...So you kids really want to steal an airship huh?"

Jaune, Nora, Ren, and everyone still inside gave a nod, leaving the gentleman to sigh in response. "Alright... I'll... I'll help. I'm gonna head outside to explore town. Figures it'd be best to clear our heads."

"Oh, can I come?" Ruby bounced on her feet, wanting to spend some time with her favorite uncle. Of course, it made Qrow smile. "Sure, kiddo. Let's go see Argus."

Though the sounds of Ruby's childish cheering did uplift Blake's mood a little, it didn't last very long as she knew her boyfriend was still upset over the reality that Shibusawa was here. "Hey, let's go for a walk, you and I. Yeah?" Without a word, Kiryu drank the rest of his tea and sat it against the coffee table before standing. "Sure."

With just Ren, Nora, Jaune, Oscar, Maria, and Yang left inside the house, the mood began to feel empty. The blonde gave everyone an unsure smile, hand scratching the back of her head. "...I'll uh... go have a word with him."

Stepping out into the courtyard, Yang had noticed Majima was leaning against a railing, this time his head was buried into his arms instead of a cigarette burning in between his fingertips. It was odd not seeing the Mad Dog not having a smoke in a time of stress and frustration. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around his waist, bringing herself close to his back before giving her boyfriend a firm hug. Her chin rested against the back of Majima's right shoulder, hoping to keep him comfortable. "Is my doggy doing okay?"

"Doggy? The fuck?" Majima turned his head slightly, clearly confused as Yang gave out a small chuckle. "Its my new nickname for you, y'know, since you're the Mad Dog of Shi-something or whatever." A sigh escaped his lips, knowing Yang was just here to bug him. "What're you doin' out here? Shouldn't you be in there plannin' to steal an airship or somethin'?"

"Nah, felt like coming out here to mess with you." She grew a smirk, pressing herself against him as she tightened her hug a bit. Though it was all in good tease, Majima couldn't help but to give out a chuckle, just as Yang planned. "Okay... what do you really want from me?" 

A hum was heard from Yang as she began to think for a moment. "I was thinking... how about you take me to a cabaret club?" 

Her suggestion made Majima turn around completely, a look of surprise on his face. "You serious?"

"Oh I'm deadly serious. Why? Can't take a girl out to there?"

"No! No... its just... like I said, it ain't your typical dance club or whateves." Majima scratched the back of his head, knowing Yang was going to ignore his words. "Okay, well... you mentioned you used to run one. How about you take me to one?"

Already the Mad Dog was against the idea, but he knew it wouldn't hurt to let Yang experience the club herself with her lover. "I suppose so... alright. Let's look up where they're at." Taking out his scroll, Majima began to search up for any nearby locations, all the while Yang leaned beside him against the railing. For the next few minutes, the couple took the time to check the reviews, all of which seemed pretty decent to Yang.

"Hey, how about this one! Club Mercury... yuck, actually. Nevermind. The name reminds me of some asshole I fought in the Vytal Festival." 

"That, and the reviews don't seem too trustworthy."

That was a surprise, one that made Yang blink in question. "Really? All the reviews are giving it a four star rating."

"Read this one." Majima handed the blonde his scroll, a five-star review being displayed. Yang began to read the review, unsure what was wrong with it as she read it.

_Dear readers, this club was absolutely astonishing! The drinks and meals were delicious at a seemingly decent price. The hostesses were SEXY as hell, and the music was fire! I'd definitely come back here with my boys again. Overall, I enjoyed the experience._

Yang handed back the scroll, a confused look on her face. "I... didn't really catch what was wrong with it. Can you tell me?" A small smirk was on Majima's face as held the scroll between him and the blonde. "Read this sentence again."

She leaned in, gazing at the sentence he pointed to. "...I'd definitely come back here with my boys again... okay? What about it?"

Majima smiled, realizing Yang wasn't too smart on the topic to see the error. "Cabaret clubs are for everyone. Someone who will return with just their _boys_ shows that the club ain't too nice towards women. You get me?"

It was enough to make Yang blink in surprise, followed by a small but nervous chuckle. "O-Oh wow! Haha... we nearly dodged a bullet there then, huh?"

"Yeah, anyways here's a different club we can go to. Ain't got five stars, but its got three's and four's. Not too bad honestly." Yang stood there waiting for his answer, seemingly naive and adorable in Majima's eyes as she was new to the whole cabaret experience. "So... what's it called?"

"Club Emerald."

* * *

The two walked down the streets to the entertainment district of Argus, where the sky was still sunny and the snow around them decorated the city in a christmas-like fashion. For now, they had to stop somewhere first. 

"So this booth we're looking for... why do we need to visit it again?" Yang asked, hands tucked behind her head as she walked. All it did was make her chest pop out more and expose her belly a bit as she leaned back against her hands. 

The Mad Dog gazed around the city, noticing pedestrians walking around and trollies riding among the streets. "Its our gateway ticket to the clubs. You don't just go into any random place without gettin' a lead first, do ya?"

"No, I guess not..."

After a few minutes of walking, Majima would spot a purple office with a man standing outside, waving to any potential customers to enter the building. Yang took notice as well, seemingly doubtful of the scene. "Is that it..?"

"Yeah, let's go see him and he'll take us to a club." Majima grabbed onto the blonde's hand before guiding her across the streets to their destination. During said walk, Yang couldn't help but to feel her cheeks becoming warm from the Mad Dog's firm grip on her. In a way, it felt like she had someone to watch out for her.

The two approached the info booth, where the employee standing outside greeted them with a smile. "Good afternoon you two! I assume you're seeking a recommendation for a club to enter?"

"Er, yeah. I heard Club Emerald is kind to both male and female customers." Majima would take the lead, leaving Yang to stand back and watch. "Hm, Club Emerald. It can be a bit pricy, are you sure?"

"That's fine. I'll cover the costs for the both of us."

Yang felt herself becoming caught off guard, but smiled at the chivalry. That, and she was broke.

"Very well! Take these and have an unforgettable experience!" The employee took out two entrance tickets for Club Emerald from his pouch, smiling as he handed them to the couple. Watching as the two thanked him and walked off, he'd wave before turning to the next customer.

Looking over her ticket, Yang felt more unsure about the idea of going to a cabaret club. "All this just to enter a club? Seems like they don't want just anyone walking in."

"Well you're not wrong... the hosts can get hurt if they let anyone waltz right in, whether they're suspicious or not." 

The couple would find themselves standing right before Club Emerald after a few minutes of walking through the entertainment district. Arcades, snowball fights, and an upcoming snow festival was something they didn't have time to stop by and visit. Upon entry, Yang would notice a man wearing formal clothing standing right before her and Majima at the entrance. The interior was magnificent as well. A green theme with diamond-shaped patterns covering the wall as well as ceramic flooring. Though the atmosphere she felt wasn't too much of a party, Yang did feel like she was in a completely different world. One where formality was the norm.

"Greetings, how may I help you two?" The escort was a tall man, slender yet he had a clean-shaven face and combed hair that gave him a sexy appearance. 

"Uh, yeah. Me and my lady here are first timers. Mind giving us a table for two?"

"Very well. How long will you both be staying?"

"Just an hour."

With a nod, the escort began to lead Majima and Yang through the club to their seats. Along their route, Yang took notice of male and female hosts socializing with their guests. They were drinking, smoking, or cuddling almost in a romantic manner. In a way, it didn't sit right with her.

"Here is your seat, sir and ma'dam." Letting the two take their seats, the escort would hand the two a menu each in a formal manner that included a bow. "A host will be with you very shortly." 

Majima gave his thanks as the escort walked away, now free to gaze around the room. "Hm... place don't look too bad, don't you think?"

"No. I kind of like it really. All the green lighting feels calming." Yang gave a short chuckle before noticing a female hostess arriving at their table. "Greetings, I'm Naomi. Its a pleasure to meet you both." The woman wore a elegant dress, decorated with a few sparkles that connected from her shoulder to her hip. Her hair was brown and curly, clearly done through styling which must've taken some time. Yang felt off about it, given all she did was brush her hair and nothing else to it. The only similarities the two had were the eyeliner they wore. Taking her seat besides Majima felt even weirder, as Yang was his rightful girlfriend and this lady was nothing but a stranger.

Naomi grew a bright smile, hands rested on her lap. "What will you two be having to drink?"

"Let me get a..." Taking a look at the menu, Majima didn't seem to take long to answer. "Vale Whiskey. What 'bout you?" Yang blinked in surprise, having been lost in thought about Naomi sitting too close to her boyfriend. "Oh! Uh, water please."

The hostess would raise a hand, calling out to a escort in a seemingly cute fashion. Once he arrived, Naomi would give out their orders. "Vale Whiskey for the gentleman here, as well as for me. Oh, and the lady will have water."

"Of course, I'll return shortly." The escort would write down their orders on a notepad before leaving. Already an uncomfortable feeling grew bigger in Yang. Why would the hostess have a drink with Majima? Was it all to get close to the customer?

The next few minutes felt weirder, almost like she was a third wheel. All Yang could do was sit besides Majima as he and Naomi spoke about various things, like hobbies or what their previous jobs were. Yang couldn't relate since the two seemed like adults, having worked in an establishment or having sincere hobbies while all she did was go to school and play games. She felt like a child compared to these two.

"Majima, how about you tell me about your experience in other cabaret clubs?" Naomi was rather excited to hear about the man's experience, only to be cut off when a male host arrived at the table. "Hello there, please address me as Ash." 

"Ash?" Yang tilted her head a bit, only to become seemingly confused when the man took his seat beside her. "Oh, h-hello there."

"My, what lovely hair you have." The man complimented, which didn't seem to flatter Yang too much. "So, care to tell me what your name is, miss?" Well, Majima was busy talking to Naomi, so there wasn't going to be any harm if she spoke with this guy sitting beside her all of a sudden. "Call me Yang."

A smile appeared on Ash's face, fingers intertwined beneath his chin. "Yang, mind sharing me your hobbies and interests?" Oh boy, that was something she wasn't sure if the man would feel too happy hearing about. Scratching the back of her head, Yang began to smile somewhat awkwardly. "Uh, I just play games and listen to music if that counts?"

"I see..." There wasn't much of an interested expression on his face, which wasn't too surprising for Yang. ("...guess he didn't seem happy to hear about me.") Clearing her throat, Yang decided to shift the focus onto him. "What about you? Got any hobbies you're into?"

Ash suddenly gave a smile at the other. "Ah, well I do quite a lot of things. From drawing, to creating ceramic objects, as well as growing my own plants. I like to be in touch with my creative side, as well as tending to nature."

Wow, already he seemed more refined than she could ever hope to be. A sigh escaped her lips as she took a sip of water, noticing how Majima and Naomi's conversation was lively, while her's was not. It just made her feel bad about herself in a way. For once, she compared herself to others, and she didn't know why.

"Miss Yang, care to tell me what you do for a living?"

Now that was a more easy question to answer. "Well, I used to attend Beacon Academy, but it was attacked. Right now I'm on my way to Atlas."

"Really now? What for, if I may ask?"

"Uh..." She couldn't exactly tell him it was to bring an ancient relic to General Ironwood... "...to become a huntress!" She answered with a smile, proud and confident about her goal. All it did was make the host frown at her instead. "...a huntress? That seems rather brutal if you ask me. A lady shouldn't be handling heavy work like that."

Yang raised a brow at him, wondering what made him think it was okay to say that. "...whatever pal."

A sudden commotion occurring from a nearby table was something Yang was hoping to finally see. A few thugs were angrily yelling at an escort from across the lobby, holding empty bottles in their hands. "Yo! We need another bottle here, on the _pronto!"_

"Yeah, hurry your damn ass up and get us the most expensive bottle you've got! Fuckin' service is slow." 

Majima glared at the two men, clicking his tongue as he realized who they were. "Yo, Yang... they must be from the Tojo Clan." 

"Huh? What makes you say that?"

"Look, they got pins on their suits."

He was right. These two men had pins on their suits, which helped identify yakuza from civilian.

"I apologize for the wait." An escort nervously approached the two, holding his bottle of champagne as he took a knee. He shivered in fear of being hit as one of the goons swiped the bottle from him. 

The hostesses that sat beside him were both cowering nervously as they couldn't leave. Both thugs had their arms wrapped around the women's shoulders to prevent them from leaving. Grins were on their faces as they began to cop a feel at each hostess' breast.

"S-Sir, please stop. This business has a no touching poli-"

"Do I _look_ like I give a shit?" One of the thugs spat out at one of the hostess', smirking as he brought her in for a rather sloppy kiss on the lips. 

All of that which unfolded was nasty, and just disrespectful. Yang felt her hands clutching her knees the entire time, waiting for an excuse to stand up and throw a punch at both men disturbing the peace. Majima was glaring at them, deciding it was time to intervene.

Before he could stand, the Mad Dog felt a hand putting him back down into his seat as Yang stepped out of the booth. "Yo, Yang! What are you-"

"I got this. I'm fine." As she walked over to the thugs' booth, Yang began to crack her knuckles. "Yo! You two got room for one more?" She teasingly spoke up with a bit of a sparkle of interest in her voice, something that threw off everyone, including the thugs.

They gazed at each other, only to nod in confusion. "Uh...yeah, guess a hottie like you can entertain us better than these-"

Immediately Yang grabbed an empty bottle and bashed it against one of the thug's heads, cracking the glass in the process. She proceeded to grab the next thug by the collar, who was panicking, before pulling them out of his seat and onto the ground. It was enough to knock the air out of him, but it wasn't over. Yang lifted them to their face, eyes red and focused on him before she threw a heavy punch to their face. It was enough force to send the thug flying out of the lobby and the front door.

She turned to the thug that was recovering from the smashed bottle from earlier, grabbing them by their hair. "Listen here you _punk_. I don't care who you or what gang you run with. You _DON'T_ go around disturbing the peace, as well as touching ladies without permission. You got that?!"

"Y-Yeah! Yeah I do!" The thug was cowering, blood staining his forehead after his injury. He whimpered as Yang shoved him back to his booth before deciding it was time to take her leave.

The strength and boldness involved was something nobody expected from her, except from the Mad Dog, who carefully stood up and placed a few bills of Lien on the table as part of his tab. "Yeah, sorry 'bout that. This here's for the bill, including the tip."

Taking his leave after Yang, Majima would catch up with her, a clear smile of amusement on his face when he exited the club to see her leaning there against a wall. 

A frown appeared on her face, eyes looking away as she felt upset. "Sorry, I know you're mad at me, but I-"

"Mad?" A short but excitable laugh came out of the Mad Dog as he smiled at her. "That was some of the most exciting shit I've seen!"

"Wait, really?" She blinked at him, a blush appearing on her cheeks. "Yeah, really! The hostess was boring as fuck, so I needed that."

Yang couldn't believe her ears. "Boring? But you two seemed happy talking together..."

"Eh yeah... don't mean I enjoyed it though. Besides, you're still my number one girl." Majima wrapped his arm around Yang's shoulders, earning him a small giggle from her. "My... girl number one? I couldn't be!" She teased him, placing the back of her hand on her forehead as she pretended to sound elegant and formal.

All it did was make Majima roll his eyes before he was given a kiss on the lips by Yang, seeing her grasping his hand. "C'mon. Let's go grab a burger or something. I think that would be more fun than a formal club like this."


	14. Substories of Argus 2

"Ooh! _Oooh!_ Look over there Uncle Qrow! There's a new crepe shop we can try out!" 

"Hey Uncle Qrow! Let's go to the movies! They released a released a sequel to that action movie you've been talking about!"

" _Wooooow!_ I didn't know they had a weapons shop here! Can we see? Can we?!" 

It could be considered tiresome for any parent to deal with their child's energy, especially when they wanted to see and perform many family-related activities, yet it was a nice break for Qrow. The past two days were depressing, considering he learned Salem was immortal and all his actions were in vain. Yet with how bubbly and bratty Ruby was being, it helped to bring a smile to his face and distract him from their mission. "Heh, sure kid. We can go in."

Opening the door, a bell chimed as Ruby stepped in, followed by her uncle. Many weapons were hung on the wall, from swords to lances, shields to firearms. Accessories were lined up inside of a glass chamber an employee stood behind. "Greetings you two! Anything I can help you with?" The owner of the shop spoke in a friendly fashion. Given his older looks, he had to have a lot of knowledge of the items he was selling.

"Oh! We're just here to look, but... I could try buying something. Can I, Uncle Qrow?" Ruby gazed up at her uncle, puppy eyes forming as she held her hands together in a cute fashion. 

The older gentleman found himself scratching the back of his head. "Er... depends how much you have on you. Be sure not to spend more than 20,000 Lien. Got it?" His response made the girl cheer happily before she rushed around the store in an excitable fashion. 

"Oh man! Yang would love these gauntlets!"

"I think Weiss should pick out a different sword, like this one!"

"Hey Uncle Qrow! Blake would like this sword! Wouldn't she?"

Ruby's excitement was enough to leave the two older men to themselves, both chuckling as they watched her comment on every weapon available. "She's a energetic one, ain't she?"

"Yeah, my niece sure loves weapons..." Qrow grew a smirk, knowing Ruby was different than a normal girl when she was growing up. "Say, you got any kids yourself?" He asked the owner, who began to scratch their beard covering his chin. "Mm... I got about two daughters and four grandkids. They can be a handful, how old is your's?"

Crap, how old was Ruby? Qrow had to think on it. ("...shit, I honestly forgot how old my nieces were. Yang is 19... she's two years older...") He looked up, a smile of confidence on his face. "She's 17. How about your's?"

"Oh, mine? Hrm... not going to fake a truth here, but its harder to remember your kids' age when you're older." A hearty chuckle came out as the owner rubbed his belly. "Say, what's your occupation? Must be something important if you're taking a youngster like her to a weapons shop like this." 

It was important, but Qrow couldn't disclose that information. After all, nobody would stay sane after hearing it. "She's... well I've been teaching her about weapons since she was small. I-I was a professor at a small academy, so naturally she grew curious about my field of work." A short but nervous chuckle came as he scratched the back of his neck. "My niece really loves weapons, so she led me here to window shop."

"Mmm, I understand. Say, I have a new accessory I've been trying to sell, but no one seems to be interested. Mind taking a look?" 

"Uh, sure." Qrow watched as the owner walked into the backroom of his shop, stepping out with a small box in hand before they sat it on the glass chamber. "Here. This accessory helps to emit a gas cloud that renders people unconscious temporarily. I wanted to see if you'd be interested in buying this!"

Taking a look over the box, Qrow cupped his chin while Ruby was still gawking over the weapons in the store. He'd watch as the owner opened the seal of the box, removing a white mechanical item in the shape of a circle with three dots lit up, and a output chamber to emit the gas he was talking about. "Say... this looks like Atlas tech."

"Correct you are! The only issue is the price of it."

"How much is it?"

"100,000 Lien!"

No wonder nobody was buying it. Qrow felt his face contort for a moment, hearing how insanely high the price for this small accessory was. "I... I think I know why nobody's buying it." 

The owner was caught off by surprise, blinking as he gazed at Qrow. "A-Already?! Can you tell me why?" A sigh came out of the gentleman, who felt pity for this owner. "You're selling it too high of a price. See that sword my kid is looking at?" He pointed to a two-handed sword that Ruby tried to lift, but couldn't. "That there sells for... 75,000 Lien, right? Compare that to this little device and you're charging 100k? Doesn't sit right with anyone, even if its from Atlas."

A frown appeared on the owner's face. "I... I know it is silly to think it'd sell for that much, but its not like I have any choice." Hearing that threw Qrow off. "Wait... no choice? What do you-"

The bell chimed behind him, and in walked a few men, all wearing suits with pins on their coats. Just by the ruckus they were making, Qrow narrowed his eyes at how annoying they were before turning back to the owner. Surprisingly, the man was looking away in submission.

"Yo! Old man, you know what day it is, right?"

"...y-yes."

Clicking their tongue, the thug slammed a hand against the glass table. "Oi! Old Man! You lose your voice or somethin'?! I didn't hear you!" Their response made the owner panic as he shook his head, stepping away from the counter as he grew scared. "I-I have the protection money! J-Just let me go fetch it!" 

Qrow watched as the owner rushed to the backroom, only to turn to the thugs next to him. "Protection money? From what?"

"From non of your _goddamn_ frickin' business!" One of the goons spoke up. "I suggest you steer clear of us, mister. Otherwise..." 

Already they were getting on his nerves."Otherwise what? You're going to attack a professional huntsman?" Qrow only felt more bothered when the thugs began to laugh loudly.

"You hear that boys?! He's a huntsman!"

" _PFFT! What the hell kind of idiot is he?!"_

Their laughter came to a halt when Ruby stepped up beside her uncle, an angry look on her face as she glared at the thugs. "He's a huntsman, and he sure as hell could kick any of your lousy asses."

Each of their faces turned into a scowl towards the only girl standing before them. "Huh..? You wanna repeat that you little _brat?!"_ One of the thugs would raise a fist to punch Ruby, who surprisingly gasped and raised her arms to defend herself.

Slowly she opened an eye when she heard someone getting hit. Standing there was Qrow, who angrily punched the thug that nearly hurt his niece. "Ruby... stand back. I got a bone to pick with these guys." 

"R-Right..." She stepped away, knowing she couldn't use her weapon inside of a store. "So, you fellas must be from the Tojo Clan. Cute pins you got there." Qrow tapped among his chest, pinpointing to the thugs' pins. "Tch, you're gonna regret messin' with the Tojo Clan, you old FUCK!" 

Immediately one of the thugs rushed towards Qrow to throw a punch at him, only to have his arm grabbed. A hand grabbed the back of his head before it bashed the thug's face against the edge of the counter, leaving a bloodstain mark on the glass. To finish them off, Qrow would stomp on their face before another goon rushed towards him. He quickly made fast work by throwing a fist at the charging thug, making them fall to the ground while running. Qrow followed up by kicking their body at the group of thugs, causing two of them to fall to the ground when the body flew at them.

Two more thugs rushed in, but missed their punches as the older gentleman swiftly dodged their attacks. One would wrap his arms behind Qrow's shoulders, leaving him vulnerable as a thug stepped in to punch the man's body a few times. Though it hurt, and made Qrow lose his air for a while, it didn't knock him out as fast as he'd make these idiots. Kicking the thug away, Qrow elbowed the thug holding him before reaching for the counter. He grabbed the accessory the owner was telling him about earlier and turned it on. A few beeps occurred as it was charging up, giving Qrow enough time to stuff it into one of the thug's suits before shoving him to the standing men behind them. A purple gas began to emit from their coat, covering the group of thugs in the toxic cloud. 

Coughing ensued as they began to fall asleep one by one until the cloud faded. There was only one thug left, who managed to sneak a punch against Qrow's face when he was watching the accessory at work. "Uncle Qrow!" Ruby called out, but winched as her uncle took the hit. She rushed in to throw a kick between the thug's legs, kicking them in the crotch. "Leave my uncle _alone!"_

It was painful alright, and it gave Qrow time to recover as he gazed at the thug squealing in pain, bent over as he held his crotch. Grabbing them by the collar Qrow would pull himself back before launching his forehead towards the thug, headbutting their nose before their body fell to the floor.

"A-Alright! Alright! We give up!" The leader of this pack began to panic as he scooted away, whimpering as he bled from the nose. Qrow grinned as he stepped over to the body of unconscious men, pulling out the accessory from one of their coats. "Good, now how about you guys never come back here. If I see you bothering this owner for protection money, you'll be seeing me again. Understood?"

Nodding his head, the thug stood up and ran out of the store. One by one the thugs began to wake up, realizing their situation as Qrow and Ruby were glaring at them. Slowly they stood up before exiting the store, chasing after their leader.

"Phew... that was annoying." Qrow dusted off his forehead before turning to Ruby. She had the eyes of a child gazing upon their idol. _"Wow..._ you were so cool! You were like _woosh!_ Then you were like _wablam!"_

A short chuckle came out of Qrow, who began to rub his niece's hair. "Yeah yeah, pretty cool huh? I gotta teach you how to fight hand to hand sometime." He turned away to see the owner stepping out from the backroom. "Are... Are they all gone?" He asked, holding onto the edge of his door, head peeking out.

"Yep! You can thank my uncle here!" Ruby would raise a hand to her forehead, a sort of salute to her uncle. A breath of relief escaped the owner's lips, a smile coming to his face. "I simply can't thank you enough."

"Eh, its no trouble really. Your device worked wonders." Qrow would hand back the accessory to the owner, only to be rejected. "Oh no! Keep it! Its all your's." 

"What? Why? Isn't this thing expensive?"

"Well... yes. But the protection money I've been told to fork over is worth a lot more." A sigh escaped the owner, who began to scratch their head. "450,000 Lien... you saved me that much by taking out those goons." 

450,000... wow. That was too expensive. "Gotta say, that's way too much they're asking for. Any reason why you signed up for it?"

"Signed up?!" The owner spat out with a sarcastic laugh. "I didn't sign up for any protection! But those thugs forced me to! All because of their captain..." 

Qrow and Ruby would turn to each other with worried looks. "Captain? Someone's leading those punks around to make merchants pay money?"

"That's right. The Captain goes by the name of Fuyuhito. He's the one working under some lieutenant from some clan."

Cupping his chin, Qrow began to realize there was a sort of hierarchy with this clan. Shibusawa had a captain working under him to steal money. That probably explained how the man made money through business. "I see... well, I hope you stay safe. C'mon Ruby, let's explore the other stores."

"Right, see you later mister!" Ruby waved at the owner before she followed her uncle out of the store, only to rush back in and place a small weapon accessory on the glass counter. "Heheh... woops. Nearly forgot about this." Finally she took her leave after giving the owner an awkward smile.

* * *

_"Fish... Fiiiiish..."_ Blake was drooling at the sight of the seafood aisle that was in the marketplace she and Kiryu were in. Her pupils were huge as she stared at the frozen fish laying upon the ice, all lined up and ready to be purchased. "Kiryu... look... _fiiiish_..." She tugged at his sleeve, clearly hungry to chew on the salmon and shrimps sitting before her. Though they weren't cooked and ready to be eaten, Kiryu did have a strange desire to bite into one of the fishes that were available. "They do look pretty yummy..."

"Don't they?!" She turned to him with a smile, ears perked up in excitement. "Can we buy one? Can we? Please?" 

"A-Ah... well, we'd have to cook it first... but I can tell you're pretty hungry for some right now." Seeing Blake frown with her ears dropping, the former yakuza grew a smile as he patted her head. "How about we get some sushi? Their food would be ready to eat once we order some."

From being petted to hearing his suggestion, the faunus nodded her head as she began to smile brightly. "I know a shop we passed by earlier! We can stop there!" Grabbing his hand, Blake would gently take the lead as she began walking quickly. "Come on, the longer we take, the more hungry I'll get!"

"Yeah, yeah." Rolling his eyes in amusement, Kiryu followed behind as Blake pulled him to whichever direction she knew to take. It wasn't long until they were out of the food marketplace and walking past a few restaurants. There was udon, a steakhouse, ice cream, and finally sushi all placed next to each other. Luckily the sushi shop didn't have a line compared to the other stores. Blake pulled her boyfriend inside the restaurant, smiling as the clerk greeted them.

"Hi! How many are in your party?"

"Just two please."

"Right this way!"

It wasn't long before the couple were seated at a booth. Beside them was a conveyor belt that moved dishes with different types of sushi available. From yellowtail, to shrimp, octopus and salmon. It was like a dream for the faunus who simply loved seafood. All of this was observed by Kiryu, who simply smiled when Blake looked at him, realizing she was embarrassing herself in front of her boyfriend. "H-Heheh... sorry."

Kiryu shook his head, deciding to grab a plate off the conveyor belt. "Don't be. Feel free to eat as much as you want, just be considerate of the bill." His words would excite the faunus, who knew she had enough money to spend on more than a few plates of sushi.

The next few minutes were spent with Blake enjoying the variety of dishes she took. "Mmm... this is so _good..."_

"I can tell, you seem to be eating quite a lot." Kiryu had his chopsticks picking at the meat inside his beef bowl, enjoying the saltiness of the beef and sweetness of the green onions placed around. While eating, a chef would approach their table, a smile on his face. "Good afternoon you two. How are you both enjoying the food here?"

"Its g-"

 _"ITS DELICIOUS!"_ Blake was quick to cut off Kiryu as she had sparkles in her eyes, gazing in awe at the chef who prepped her meal. A short laugh came out of him as he appreciated the response. "Well thank you. You know, I am preparing a new dish as we speak. I wanted to ask if you two were willing to taste test my new dish before I put it on the menu. Would you both be okay with that? It's free of charge."

Blake had a look of surprise on her face. A new dish? And she'd be the first to try it? "O-Of course! I'd be honored. Wouldn't you like to try some too, Kiryu?"

"Huh? Uh, yeah. I'll try some as well."

"Very well, give me a moment." Leaving the two alone, the chef would make his way to the kitchen. Blake had an adorable smile as she bounced her feet on the ground in excitement. "A new dish? Isn't that exciting! I wonder what it'll be. Maybe tuna, or something we haven't seen yet!"

Her eyes turned to the chef who returned with two plates in hand: one for each of his guests. "I do hope you enjoy. Please, feel free to take a bite and let me know how it tastes." The plates had another type of sushi on them. It was tuna, but rather golden. Blake didn't hesitate to take a bite, who then smiled as she hummed in satisfaction. "Mmm... its delicious! Not too sweet, not too fishy either! I think everyone would enjoy this!"

Kiryu took his piece of the dish and took a bite out of it. His eyes opened in response, taken back by how delicious it was. _"Ho ho~_ Just as she said!" 

A smile came to the chef's face as he was given a positive feedback from the two. "Thank you both very much. The fish served on this plate comes from a specific species of fish found only in the waters of Argus. Its still tuna, but with the correct preparations, you can remove the fishy taste most customers would grow accustomed to, while leaving the sweetness they love. I call it... the Golden Tuna!" 

Blake couldn't help but to giggle at the name. "Is that because the tuna itself was golden?"

"Well, yes. I'm also bad at coming up with new names myself." The chef would let out a short chuckle before turned to Kiryu. "I do have a request, though I hate to ask this... but that was the last of my tuna from the kitchen. Would you two be willing to catch more for me? I'll make sure to serve any dish for every fish you catc-"

"Yes! We'll do it!" Blake answered immediately, clearly excited about the idea. "Right Kiryu? We'll catch him some fish, right? Right?"

All her excitement, it was too much to handle. It left Kiryu rather flustered. "Y-Yeah, I suppose catching some more fish wouldn't hurt..." 

The chef would take out a notepad and write on it. Ripping out the paper, he'd place it on the table. "As my thanks, you'll both receive a 20% discount on this current meal. Please return with the fish as soon as you're able to. I'll be in the kitchen if you need me." Taking his leave, the chef left the couple to themselves. Blake was strangely excited, the most Kiryu had ever seen her be before. "Well, I think I'm done eating for now. I can pay for my half!" 

"Sure, so can I." He gave a smile before taking out a few bills of Lien to cover his half.

...

Kiryu found himself at a nearby dock where ship containers and warehouses were present. Luckily, the spot itself was open to anyone who wanted to fish. There was even an available fish pole, and a fisherman who Blake had bought a few pieces of bait from. "Here, I can cover for the bait we need." She smiled, handing her boyfriend a bucket of bait he'd need. 

Attaching one of the pieces to his hook, Kiryu was ready to start fishing. He'd launch the hook far into the ocean, keeping an eye on the line to see when it was time to reel. As luck would have it, it began to move within less than a minute. He'd fight against the fish's movement, reeling in at times but stopping when the tension grew too high. It took time for him to finish his first catch, but luckily it was a decent fish. "Ooh, salmon. Not bad!" Blake smiled as Kiryu would take the fish off its hook, replacing the bait before he'd throw it into the ocean once more.

The process repeated itself for the next few catches. Each one exciting the faunus.

"Salmon!"

"A catfish!"

"A... purse? How did you even?" Kiryu shook his head in disbelief. "I don't even know. How much more bait do we have?" Blake would peek into the bucket, seeing as there was just one more left. "We only have one, but we haven't caught a single fish that chef was talking about. Its golden, right?"

Kiryu nodded as he replaced the bait one last time. This was their last bait before they'd have to buy more. He'd throw the line once more, keeping an eye it before it began to move.

What he felt was rough and intense, the pull he experienced was tougher than usual. _"Ngh!_ What the hell?!" He'd grip his pole tightly before setting his feet into the ground, fighting against whatever was pulling as he tried to reel in his catch. Blake had noticed the pull was tougher than usual, which made her worry for both Kiryu and their opportunity. She'd wrap her arms around his body, making sure Kiryu would have extra support in fighting against his catch pulling him towards the water.

"T-This might be it!" She cried out, unable to hide her smile.

The tension on the line spiked easily, forcing Kiryu to significantly ease on the reeling as he fought against his catch. Turning the pole towards where it swam, he'd reel in as quick as he could before easing down on it. This battle wasn't easy, as he needed to keep a high concentration on wherever the fish was moving towards. Slowly, it began to move closer and closer towards him, the struggle easing down before it hopped out of the water. Kiryu made sure to pull his line towards where the fish would land, making its struggle more difficult for it and easier for him.

"Almost... there..." He'd notice the line was close to breaking, forcing him to ease the reeling. Luckily the fish would jump out of the water, giving Kiryu the opening he needed. He'd pull upwards on his pole, reeling in the line as the large catch landed right onto him. Blake was fortunate to move out of the way just in time as Kiryu fell on his back, the golden fish flopping off him and onto the ground.

Standing up on his feet, the former yakuza would grab the fish, struggling to hold onto the slippery creature. It was heavy, and its tail slapped against his face. _"Ow! Ngh!"_ Crap, he was losing his grip.

Just as it jumped out of his arms, Blake swooped in to catch the fish, its struggle coming to an end. "Nuh uh! You're not going anywhere..." A devious smirk came to her face as she licked her lips, wishing to take a bite before looking up at Kiryu, who was unamused. "Let's not bite our catch before we deliver it, shall we?"

"R-Right! Haha... let's get going." Dumping their last catch into their bucket, Blake would close the lid before looking up. A few men in suits were approaching them, already making her eyes narrow at them. "Oh great..."

Their leader had a nasty grin on his face. "Yo! Been meanin' to catch some rare fish like that. Gotta thank ya' for your hard work." He and his men all wore that Tojo Clan pin on their coats, already unsettling Kiryu. "So you were watching us this whole time?"

"That's right! Our Captain was lookin' for a special treat and suggested we catch him a fish rare and golden. Fittin' for someone high in the ranks, don't ya think?" The leader of this pack had a stupid smile of confidence on his face, as if he knew he'd be able to steal their hard work.

Blake shook her head, taking out Gamble Shroud. "You better leave, because I'm not giving you what we caught. You want to satisfy your boss? Catch your own fish!"

"Ah, but there's a problem there missy... this turf belongs to the Tojo... so whatever we say, it _goes!"_

The leader of the pack would approach Blake slowly, only to be stopped when Kiryu stepped in between. "The Tojo doesn't run this turf anymore. It belongs to the people. Go back to Kamurocho where the rest of the clan belongs, otherwise..."

"Otherwise what, you jackass?!" 

Hearing this guy calling her boyfriend that insult was enough to deter her from keeping the peace. She knew the Tojo Clan wasn't to be reasoned with. After all, they atatcked her group earlier. "Hey, Asshole!"

"Huh? What is i-"

The leader felt a heavy kick to the chest coming from Blake. It was enough to send him flying back a few feet, something that surprised Kiryu. A smile came to his face as he gave Blake a nod, her nodding in sync. The thugs didn't hesitate to charge in, half of them ganging up on Kiryu, the other teaming up against Blake.

Kiryu would grab two of the goons that surrounded him, forcing them to bash their heads together as he stepped away. He noticed a thug charging in to land a kick at him, but quickly launched a fist at their gut. Grabbing them by the collar and belt, Kiryu lifted them into the air before swinging their body over himself to the ground, putting the thug out of commission. As for the last thug, he had a knife and managed to scratch Kiryu when he wasn't looking. Luckily his aura protected him from any lethal cuts. Turning around to face them, Kiryu stepped back from a thrust the thug threw, grabbing their arm before launching an elbow to their gut. He'd move in quick fashion to flip their body to the ground, making them release the knife as he thrusted his knee against their head to knock them out.

Blake found herself being forced to dodge any attack the goons sent at her when they gave her no opening to counter. She backed away against a railing, and noticed a thug was about to punch her. Ducking quickly, Blake grabbed the thug and swung their chest at the railing before climbing it, ending her attack by jumping off it to land her feet onto the thug's body. The next two rushed in to attack her, forcing her to use her semblance to leave a clone behind as she evaded their moves on her. It was rather harsh seeing them try to beat a clone of her, making her wonder if these men were right in the head to attack a faunus. She'd turn to the man before her and moved them aside. Sticking her foot out, Blake forced the man to fall backwards before raising her heel into the air and slamming it against their face. The last two she made quick work by pushing one of them towards Kiryu, who launched his fist into their direction, making them fall back onto the ground where he'd swing his fist from the air to the their face on the ground. As for the last thug standing, it was the leader who had a gun in hand. Pointed at Blake, he'd fire a bullet, only to miss when she used her semblance the evade. She was right next to the leader, grabbing his arm and holding it into the air before she used her knee to strike him in the gut, just as Kiryu would. Making him drop the gun, Blake pulled away to pick it up, leaving Kiryu to finish off the man himself.

"Want some fish? _GO CATCH IT THEN!"_ He'd pick the thug by the hips and throw him right into the water, putting and end to the fight as the thug cried out in vain. The sight itself was enough to make Blake laugh rather heavily. _"Want some fish? PFFFT-!"_

She couldn't help but to laugh at the comment, making Kiryu blush in embarrassment. "W-What? It was in the moment, and..."

"No! No I totally get it, it was just... pfft... cheesy." She held back her laughter, smiling as she approached him before trying to lift the bucket. Kiryu stepped in to lift it for her, since he had more muscle than her. "Well, I suppose I should come up with a better one-liner."

"Oh nah, it was pretty good. At least it wasn't a pun like Yang's." She smiled, walking out of the docks and back to the restaurant with Kiryu. 

...

Inside, the two found themselves dropping off the bucket inside the kitchen where the chef was waiting to prepare more dishes. He looked up, noticing his customers had returned. "Oh my, you two actually came back! Did you catch the golden tuna?"

"We did, though some yakuza members gave us a bit of trouble." Kiryu knew that the Tojo Clan members were going to be trouble, since they were currently expanding in Argus. The comment did seem to make the chef frown. "I... must apologize for that. I didn't know the yakuza were roaming at the docks as well."

Blake did feel confused on the topic. "Speaking of the yakuza, they were saying the docks were their turf. What gives?"

"Yes, well ever since the yakuza began appearing a few months ago, certain distributors and manufacturers were forced to give a percentage of their profit to the yakuza. Though it may seem like a normal negotiation, it was more of a threat given to us if we didn't accept their terms."

Blake turned to Kiryu, a worried look on her face. "These people... they need our help. Its just like Menagerie."

Kiryu could only frown at the comment, realizing the similarities happening in this city. He turned to the chef, noticing a small smile was on his face. "There is a tip I can give you. There is a man these thugs all report to, a captain they may call him. His name is Hitoshi."

("Hitoshi... maybe if we track him down and take down the captains, we can weaken Shibusawa's forces.")

Blake noticed Kiryu was thinking to himself, smiling before turning to the Chef once again. "Do you happen to know where this man might be?"

"That I can not answer. If you do ask the other restaurants, they may know. Hitoshi usually controls these areas as a means of expanding the turf for the yakuza."

Giving him a nod of thanks, Kiryu would take his leave, only to hear a whine from Blake as she tugged his sleeve. "Wait! Aren't.. aren't we going to eat some of the fish we caught?"

"You're still hungry?" He felt surprised, blinking as he stopped to turn to her. The faunus was quick to nod her head, frowning as she wanted to stay and eat a little more. With a sigh, Kiryu would give in. "Alright, we can stay and have more sushi."

"Really!? Do you mean it?" Blake bounced a little in excitement, smiling like a child who saw candy.

Nodding his head, Kiryu felt rather hungry for more. "Yeah, that fight gave me an appetite for more." 


	15. Taking Responsibility

Unsure how he was going to do it, Akiyama found himself strolling through the streets of Argus. One thing was set on his mind: he was going to the Tojo Clan office to have a word with Shibusawa himself.

("Might get myself killed, but if I can at least talk to the man... maybe I can knock some sense into him.")

Akiyama gazed at his watch, realizing it was starting to get closer to dusk. The watch read _6:47pm_ , and the skies were now orange due to the sunset. ("Better make this quick so I can find a motel to sleep in after.") Slowly he approached the glass doors to the Tojo office, eyes glaring at the windows sitting on the fourth level of this building. "Shibusawa, I'm coming for you..."

He was mad alright, and he was going to make it up to the gang after putting them through hell this afternoon. One step forward, and he felt a hand yanking the back of his collar, causing Akiyama to stumble backwards. He gazed at whoever pulled him away, only to blink in surprise at Weiss standing there.

 _"What_ do you think you're doing?" Her eyes were staring at him angrily, like a mother who was about to watch their kid break something that didn't belong to them. A short but unsure chuckle came out of the Loan Shark as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Haha... uh, I was going to have a word with the big man upstairs... why are you here?"

"Why am I here?" A groan escaped her as she rubbed her forehead in disappointment. "I came to find you, and here you are about to get yourself killed!" 

"Weiss, that's not-"

"I'm not stupid. I know how upset you are, but I'm not going to stand by and watch a second man get himself killed." Crossing her arms over her chest, she had to get the message across that she was dead set on not letting this man go off on his own. "Come on, let's go someplace to talk things through."

Shaking his head, Akiyama knew this was his only option as redeeming himself. "I can't Weiss, not after I put you guys through- ACK! Ow! Hey!" The Loan Shark felt his ear being grabbed as the Ice Queen pulled his ear, forcing him to follow her as they walked off from the Tojo office. 

...

He found himself sitting in a unpacked cafe, with only a few tables occupied by customers reading their scroll or drinking cups of coffee. A waiter approached his table, setting down a small glass plate with a cup of coffee and another with a chocolate-filled croissant. "Here you go sir." Watching as the waiter took his leave, Akiyama turned to Weiss sitting before him, who had a cup of hot cocoa and a slice of strawberry cake. 

"You didn't have to do this y'know?"

"I know." She took a bite out of her slice, chewing on it before taking a sip of her beverage. "But, I figured I could at least be nice and help out someone who was there for us back at the farm."

The farm, right... that place stuck to him like glue. "Yeah, that was a crazy ride... didn't think I'd learn about this Salem and deal with those monsters." A slight smile appeared on his face as he lifted his cup of coffee to his lips. "None of us did. I mean... I didn't know much about Salem a few weeks ago, but when Ruby opened that relic, it was..." She gave out a heavy sigh, rubbing the sides of her head. "I don't know. I don't have the words to describe this feeling."

"Its overwhelming."

She blinked, looking towards him when she was lost in the environment of the cafe, "Yeah... overwhelming." She grew a frown, wishing she could go back to the days where she was just a student at Beacon. "I smacked Majima after he kicked you out, no one was happy about that." 

Akiyama felt an odd sense of relief hearing that. "No one? Not even after-"

"No. No one is mad at you except him. We're all really just trying to get to Atlas, and trust me when I say this... but we've all been through hell. Local gangsters don't amount to fighting Grimm and Salem's minions." Weiss wasn't too amused at the idea that the yakuza were present. After all, she was scared of them at first, which made her smile lightly. "I used to be scared of them to be honest."

He leaned back in his seat, deciding to take a bite out of his meal as Weiss explained herself.

"I first met Kiryu back at Beacon, and that was the first time I met an actual yakuza myself. Because of his raw strength and how young I was at the time, I was pretty scared. Then you know... time passes by, you get to learn about people and you get caught into fights that mean life or death. Little things like that make the past seem so trivial, funny even." Resting her chin on her hand, Weiss stared off into the open space before her. The chocolate colored theme of the cafe, with its brown frames and biege walls and yellow lights made her reminscent the cafeteria back at Beacon.

As much as he wanted to say something, Akiyama knew he couldn't. He simply took a bite out of his croissant before looking at the environment. "All these people... they don't know the danger they're in."

"None of them do. Only a select few in this world knows what's coming for them." She turned back towards him, now deciding it was time to talk. "So why did you go to the office by yourself? I mean, really... its just you versus who-knows-how-many."

"I already told you, it was to have a word with Shibusawa." He frowned, noticing she wasn't buying it. "Akiyama, there's more to it than that. Why alone though?" He scratched his head. "Its not just for making it up to you guys, but I have an agenda of my own. To get to Mantle and set up my business there."

His dream was it? Weiss had a general idea what it was. "To be a loan shark that helps out the people in need. Is Shibusawa your only potential business partner? How did you even get in touch with him?"

"Well..." That was the long part he'd have to crumble into smaller bits. "I don't want to say he is, but he's my best chance. I only became recommended to see him from another loan shark back in Kamurocho. The guy knew Shibusawa personally, since they were both in business. Right now, I'm not sure who else could take me to Mantle, let alone set up a business." A sigh escaped him as he took another swig of his coffee.

Weiss began to tap her cheek, index nail gently scratching in thought. "I... probably didn't tell you yet, but I am the son of Jacques Schnee. I could probably get in touch with some people, see if there's a way to help you out."

His eyes opened up in surprise. "Eh? Really? You don't have to! I just need a ride to Mantle and-"

"Its fine. Consider it my thank you after buying me that necklace." She grew a smile, watching how he reacted. "Plus, I think its rare to find loan sharks who genuinely want to help people. There's not enough people like us in the world."

"I suppose so..." Finishing the last of his drink and meal, Akiyama dusted his lips with a napkin. "Thanks for the date by the way." 

Her cheeks immediately became pink, having heard what he said. "D-Date?! This isn't a date you moron!" She scoffed at him as she stood with him, deciding to leave her half of the paycheck on the table. "Besides, I got my eyes on someone else already."

"Oh? Really now? Who is it?" He teased the ex-heiress, also leaving a few bills to cover his half. "Its... just don't tell anyone, promise?"

"Promise."

"Good." She took a breath to settle her nerves. "Its probably obvious, but its Ruby." 

"Ehh, that's not really a surprise." 

Weiss would push him lightly as a means of retortion. "Shut up! I know it isn't, but it still means a lot to me!" She'd let herself out of the cafe before him, holding the door open. Akiyama couldn't help but to grin in amusement, hands tucked into his pockets. "Hey, I mean whatever floats your boat. You talk to her yet or no?" 

Shaking her head, the Ice Queen did feel a sense of doubt. "No, but... I don't think now's a good time. Especially when we're trying to get to Atlas. Maybe when we're there I can confess. Still... I don't want to ruin our friendship because of me."

That was a pretty good reason to keep quiet about these things. Akiyama didn't have anything to say except for reaching into his pocket and taking out a lighter and cigarette. He'd fire up the end of his stick before taking a drag. In the mean time, Weiss took out her scroll to message everybody.

 **[Weiss 7:26pm]** _Hey I found Akiyama. We're near a cafe a few streets where the Tojo office was at. Where should we meet?_

 **[Blake 7:27pm]** _Kiryu and I are near the docks, we could probably meet in the center of town where they have the snow statues set up._

 **[Yang 7:28pm]** _Majima and i are in the entertainment district, so we're not too far haha_

 **[Ruby 7:30pm]** _I'm with Uncle Qrow, we're already here LOL_

 **[Weiss 7:31pm]** _Make sure to tell that mad dog he needs to apologize to Akiyama. He seriously needs to calm down._

 **[Yang 7:32pm]** _Yea yea i'll tell him_

"What are you smiling about?" Akiyama noticed the other's face, smirking in amusement. "Oh nothing. We're going to meet up with Blake and the others. That, and I'll make sure Majima says he sorry. Let's go." She started to walk off, to which the Loan Shark felt rather surprised before following her. "You didn't have to do this you know? I'm just some lonely fart who dragged everyone into trouble." 

"I... would disagree on that. _We_ dragged you into our mess. Though if you still feel like its biting you in the neck, then we can consider it even between us." 

Her words did bring the Loan Shark a sense of comfort. He was dragged into their mess when the train crashed and he learned about Salem.

* * *

Standing before the multiple statues of snowmen in the main courtyard of Argus, Akiyama felt like a kid again. From when he used to build snowmen to getting into snowball fights with other kids, a smile came upon his lips as he noticed the various pedestrians gazing at the snowmen.

"Hey mom! What's this one suppose to be?"

"That's a huntsman, dear. Someone you can be if you grow up strong and healthy."

Hearing the mother's words only brought a sad look to Weiss. "Poor kid doesn't know what he might go up against." She turned to see that Akiyama was also watching them. She couldn't help but to hug her arm. "Yeah... but that's why we're going to Atlas. So we can protect the world and the next generation of kids that want to be huntsman." 

Akiyama took her comment into mind, knowing he might be doing something similar by providing loans. Maybe he'd help some family and they'd have a kid who could become a great huntsman. He noticed a familiar figure standing in the distance, gazing at another snow statue but of a witch this time. "Yo, Weiss. There they are." He tapped the ex-heiress' shoulder and pointed ahead. Weiss would begin to move, to which she smiled when Ruby turned around. "Weiss! Oh, Akiyama..." 

Ruby would approach the two, Qrow following behind, hands folded over each other before her lap. "Hey, I'm really sorry about Majima."

"Don't be. I should be the one apologizing for-"

"No, its not your fault. You were just trying to help." Ruby grew a faint smile. "It means a lot to us. Right, Uncle Qrow?"

Blinking in surprise, the older man scratched the back of his head, unsure what to say. "Er... yeah. Its good to see you again." 

Their words made the Loan Shark feel much more at ease with himself. It was nice to see he wasn't entirely alone. "So where did you go? Thought you would go and ditch us after that Mad Dog threw you out." Qrow asked, taking out his flask before untwisting the cap to his flask. 

"Ah, well. I simply went on a walk. Decided to clear my head. I wasn't sure what else I could do besides find a way to talk to Shibusawa again." Akiyama knew his plan was risky, and likely to be turned down by the others. "Well, good thing Weiss found ya. I kind of have a bone to pick with him after he tried to kill these kids." Qrow gave out a chuckle before lifting his flask to his lips. A few gulps and a satisfied gasp came after. "That, and I feel the need to vent my anger after learning about Salem."

Weiss would turn to see Blake and Kiryu approaching the scene. Each person smiling as they were finally meeting up. Blake held a soft spot for the Loan Shark, considering he helped out the team back in the farms. "Hey, are you feeling any better?"

"Yeah, Weiss came by and helped me. Also Kiryu, I apologize for getting you guys tangled in that mess earlier today. I didn't know he was connected to you." Akiyama would notice Kiryu had a rather stoic expression on his face. It was hard to tell if he was actually mad or if he just had a resting bitch face. "You shouldn't apologize. You didn't know. For now, the responsibility falls on me since he's my enemy." Kiryu spoke up, knowing that the lieutenant was targeting him the most out of everyone.

Lastly, Yang and Majima approached the scene. The blonde gently pushed her boyfriend towards Akiyama, smiling in amusement. "Go on... say it."

"Ugh, you ain't gotta push me!" He glared at her before turning towards the Loan Shark. Standing there, Majima struggled to say anything, considering he was still mad at him. "...Sorry mate."

Blinking from how quiet he was, Akiyama leaned in a bit. "I... didn't catch that."

"Tch, I said _I'm sorry!_ Do I really gotta-"

Yang pinched the Mad Dog's arm, nodding as she wanted to have the man take responsibility. All it did was bother Majima even more, pulling his arm away to rub where he was pinched. "Okay Okay! I'm sorry, for reals. I shouldn't have thrown you out."

"Thanks." Akiyama didn't seem too amused on the apology, but it was better than nothing. He stepped aside as Weiss approached the Mad Dog. "And _you._ The next time I hear you acting like a child and pushing people in our team, I'm seriously going to buy a shock collar."

"Oooh, kinky." Yang chuckled, only to stop when Weiss shot her glare at her. "And one for you if you don't keep him under control!"

Ruby couldn't help but to snicker, seeing as Weiss was stepping her foot down. It helped to keep order in this team. "So... what now? We found Akiyama, let's head home, yeah?" 

"Eh... hold your horses kid. We actually have some news to share." Qrow spoke up, seeing as his words caught everybody's attention. "...what kinda news?" Majima asked.

"Stuff about the Tojo Clan. Word was they're forcing businesses to pay protection money as a means of keeping the clan financially stable here in Argus."

That wasn't new to him. Kiryu knew that's how the yakuza worked. They were parasites, taking from people and not giving. "Hm, we actually heard something as well. They're threatening businesses to give some of their profits as a means of taking control of distribution. In other words, they're expanding their turf." 

Everyone began to feel uncomfortable at the idea of the Tojo Clan trying to expand into Argus. "...should they grow stronger, they could probably start expanding into other parts of Mistral. Maybe even into Atlas." Kiryu's words weren't to be taken lightly. Blake knew that very well. "Then... what should we do?"

"Well... we could always put a stop to them." Ruby suggested in a casual manner. "We actually learned about the name of a captain pulling the strings. It was..." She trailed, having forgotten. With a roll of his eyes, Qrow smiled as he remembered. "Its Fuyuhito. Guy must be in the Tojo office, or someplace else."

"Its likely someplace else. Captains tend to run their own families, and have their separate offices from the main headquarters." Kiryu stated, already having some plan in his head. Majima pursed his lips, seemingly annoyed by the discussion. "Wait, why are we talkin' about captains? Why can't we just go for the head? Shibusawa?"

Akiyama shook his head, knowing that was too risky. "We can't, Shibusawa would have the whole clan rallied up against us in the blink of an eye. We saw what happened at the office this morning." He turned to Blake, wondering if she knew another captain. "You look like you know something too, mind telling us?"

Her ears perked up, being called out to like that. She wasn't mentally prepared to speak up. "U-Uh, yeah. We learned another captain goes by Hitoshi. What about you, Yang?" 

The blonde shrugged, not knowing of any leads that could help. "I got nothing, sorry."

"Very well, we have two captains to take care of. If we can manage to take them out, they'll disband their families and leave Shibusawa with no men." Kiryu turned to Blake, knowing they also had a second plan to take care of. "I'll need you and the girls to go back to Saphron's and work on making that plan to take off for Atlas."

A wave of worry washed over her. "What about you? Are you going alone?"

"No, Akiyama, Qrow, and Majima will work with me. We need as few people dealing with the yakuza as possible. They'll track us down easier if we're all together." As much as she didn't want to leave him alone, Blake had to accept the idea. "A-Alright... just come back home in one piece. Promise me that." She cupped his hands, anxious he might not return. It was already painful enough to be separated from him the first time. A second would be too much for her.

Growing a smile, Kiryu would pat the faunus' head as he normally would. "Promise."

Before splitting ways, the two would see Yang planting a kiss upon Majima's cheek, hearing her order him to be a _good boy._ The sight itself was surprising, but they shook it off. Blake herself gave Kiryu a small hug before taking off, catching up with her team. She walked by Yang, raising a brow at her. 

"Since when were you two a thing?"

"Just a day ago." Yang rolled her eyes, not minding that she was dating the jackass of the group. In a way, it gave her a chance to tease him as much as she wanted.

With the girls taking their leave, the four men were left alone to put their plan in action. "Alright kid, where do we go from here?" Qrow asked, wondering if Kiryu had an idea. Akiyama raised his hand, smiling at the three men. "Actually, I might have something in mind."

"Alright, let's hear it," Majima asked, slightly annoyed the Loan Shark had the balls to take initiative. "For starters, where did you guys find the captains at?" Akiyama faced Qrow and Kiryu.

"At the business district with all the shops."

"Near the docks, where the restaurants are at."

Business and Gourmet. The two places did come hand-in-hand. "I see... so by stealing money, they can make more profit, which in turn expand their turf. These guys are some serious assholes. Guess we should split and take those two captains out." Akiyama knew the plan would go by quicker if they split up. They had to leave to Atlas by tomorrow, for whatever reasons. "I suggest we get this done as fast as we can so we can focus on getting that airship."

"Right. The kids are planning to steal tomorrow. Majima, you and I can take care of Fuyuhito in the business district." Qrow commanded, seeing as the Mad Dog was content with the suggestion. "That leaves you and Kiryu to take care of Hitoshi near the docks."

Both men gave a nod at the idea. Kiryu grew a smile, knowing they could wipe the Tojo off of Argus if they can handle this by tonight. "Let's keep in contact, and meet up at Saphron's when this is finished." Pulling out his scroll, Kiryu began to exchange his info with Qrow and Akiyama, the latter doing the same to him and Majima.

It was the four of them pitted against the Tojo Clan itself. Should they rid these captains, then Argus would become a safer city, not just for Saphron and her family, but for anyone living here. No one deserved the poison the Tojo Clan brings to them.


	16. Two Teams, Two Captains

Binoculars in hand, Majima viewed the business district from the rooftop of one of the buildings. Qrow was keeping an on the left side while Majima observed the right. An hour had passed since they split from Kiryu and Akiyama earlier. 

"Hmm..." The Mad Dog groaned to himself, setting down his binoculars. "I ain't seeing anythin'. How 'bout you?" Qrow shook his head, a small sigh coming out of him. "No. Nothing either on my end. There's got to be some hint about where he's at..." 

"Yeah, well that's a bummer." Checking his scroll, Majima frowned as he continued to gaze from the rooftop. The city lights were still on, and trollies continued to move down the pathway. Something did feel off though. "Hey Qrow, are you checkin' the alleyways?"

He wasn't paying much attention to them but now he began to. There seemed to be nothing in sight, until Majima found something. "Oi, old man! Come check this out!" Qrow walked over to see what Majima was looking at. Sure enough, there were a few men packing big bags in the back of a van. "They must be Fuyuhito's men." The Mad Dog commented, noticing some had pins on them.

"You're right, kid. We better hit the streets before we miss our chance." Tucking his binoculars away, he'd head for the ladder that led them up to the roof. Grabbing onto the handles, Qrow slid himself carefully but quickly to ground level, with Majima repeating the same action. Both of them rushed out of the alleyway and across the street. Approaching the alleyway, they noticed the van from earlier. Qrow took cover at one of the corners. "Stay here, got it?"

"Huh?" A look of annoyance came over the Mad Dog's face. "Why do I gotta stay here?"

"Just... do it. Please." Qrow gestured for the other to stay put. "I don't want my semblance to give you any trouble. It brings bad luck." His words were enough to make Majima listen, watching as the older gentleman began to step into the small crack between buildings. 

His boots pressed against the dirt, body bent over so he could quietly sneak through the alley without being noticed. That van from earlier was there alright, but those guys from earlier weren't. The backdoors weren't even closed yet, so they still had to be here. He stopped for a moment, realizing this could be a trap. A pebble was on the ground besides his foot, and Qrow planned on using it to draw the enemy out.

Tossing it towards the van, the pebble landed on the metal sheeting. As he intended, Qrow watched as gunfire began shooting at a spot a few feet before him. It startled him alright, but it was enough to give him the upper hand.

Rushing in, Qrow took out his sword and knew who to target. He turned the corner to the left, bringing his sword down onto the first thug that was reloading their handgun. The gunman on the opposite corner gave out a cry, alerting the other thugs. 

_"He's here! Get him!"_

Crap, this was bad. Qrow had to finish this quickly. Rushing to the second gunman, he'd strike them horizontally with Harbinger before using it to guard himself against a pipe-wielding thug. Thank goodness he had quick reflexes, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to guard himself. Qrow kicked his foot forward, only to grab the thug's head. He'd bring them against the wall before throwing two punches to their chest, knocking them out by shoving their head to the wall. There was only one man left, cowering as he nervously held a pipe in hand. 

"G-Get back! I said get back!" The thug shouted, attempting to bring his weapon against Qrow before his arm was caught in the air, halting their attack. The older gentleman proceeded to throw a few punches to their gut before grabbing their collar, finishing them off by headbutting him to the ground.

Defeated and still conscious, the thug turned to his front side before attempting to crawl away. "Oh no you don't. You're not going anywhere!" Qrow stepped onto their back, pinning them in place. Already the thug was a nervous wreck, shaking and begging for forgiveness. "P-Please! I surrender! I'll give you anything you want!"

That was easy. A small smirk came to his lips as he held his foot in place. "Anything, huh? Tell me where your captain is. Fuyuhito, was it?" Such a bad spot to be put in. To reveal any private information about your captain was punishable by any means necessary. Whether it'd be getting beat up, expelled, or losing your pinky finger, depending on the mood of your superior. "I... I can't tell you that! My boss would kill me!"

"Yeah, he could. Or I could do it right now, but that wouldn't help me now, would it? Now tell me before I break something of your's!" Raising his foot, Qrow proceeded to stomp onto this guy's back, making sure to give them the idea he wasn't to be trifled with. A loud cry came out before the thug started coughing. He struggled to catch his breath, head bowing in surrender. "Okay! Okay! I'll tell you! P-Please don't tell my boss, anything but that! Please!"

A small snicker came from the side. Qrow looked up to see Majima approaching the scene, his slugger in hand as he had a mischievous smile on his face. "The Tojo is hirin' pussies now? Tch, back when I was in, I'd get tortured and rub it off like it was nothin'. Yet here we are with a little _bitch_ -" He'd throw his foot against the thug's side, hurting him even more in a sadistic manner. "-that can't even handle being kicked!" 

Qrow wasn't sure what to say about that, but if the Tojo was hiring weak people like this man, maybe it wouldn't be so difficult taking out the clan. "Start talking. Now."

"O-Okay... okay... h-he's in a office, down 2nd street past Smile Burger. Near the motel. You can't miss it!"

Majima began to kneel, gazing at the thug's head as he pulled their head up by their hair. "Good to know. Say, you know where Hitoshi is too?" A look of innocence and a casual-friendly tone came out of the Mad Dog, which only lowered the thug's guard even more. "H-He's at the docks, near the restau-"

Slamming the thug's head into the ground, Majima shouted as he held nothing but anger. "Stupid _fuck_ _!_ You know you're suppose to keep quiet about y'er captain! Fuckin' pussies like you don't belong in the clan!"

"Majima, we got what we needed, let's just go."

Qrow took his foot off before deciding to check in on the van. Unzipping one of the bags piled upon each other, Qrow gave out an annoyed sigh from the sight he took in. Piles of cash were stored inside, likely the protection money the thugs took from these businesses. "Money. Of course." He took out his scroll, dialing for the Argus police. "We'll have the police pick up the money and take in these thugs. In the meantime, message Kiryu that we found the other captain's location."

"You got it!" Taking out his scroll, Majima began typing away.

 **[Majima 8:29pm]** _Yo, Kiryu-Chan! We found your target's location. Check the docks near the restaurants, he should be hidin' for ya there!_

 **[Kiryu** **8:30pm]** _Okay, got it. Thank you._

* * *

Qrow found himself strolling down 2nd street with hands in pockets. The night was growing colder, snow pellets floating down from the sky. Red eyes squinted at the buildings, noticing a Smile Burger joint was present, just as he was told. "...We're almost there, kid." 

"Man, stop callin' me that! I'm 24!" The Mad Dog was getting annoyed being called that, to which Qrow simply chuckled as a response. "Alright, well anyways we're here. Just... be careful when you fight with me."

"Oh? I get to join ya now?"

"Well yeah. I ain't taking on twenty or who knows how many thugs that are in there by myself. Just keep your distance, we don't need my semblance to mess things up for each other." Majima noticed a sad look on Qrow's face after he said that. He couldn't blame the man for feeling sorry about himself, not after Ozpin's past was revealed.

Slowly approaching the doors to the Fuyuhito's Family office, Qrow entered inside to see a thug sitting on one of the many seats available. It looked like a normal lobby for a seemingly normal office building. These guys sure knew how to blend in. 

The thug was gaming away at his scroll, chuckling as he rolled a rare unit in a gacha he was playing. His attention soon turned to Qrow when he heard footsteps approaching him. "Heh... h-huh? Wait, who are you?!" He stood up, eyes glaring at the older gentleman. 

"Look I just want to talk-"

"Boys! We got intruders!"

"...fuck." Majima shook his head, realizing they were going to have to fight their way up to the top floor. Numerous thugs of the Fuyuhito Family came rushing down the stairs, surrounding the two men. "Oi, old man. Better use that bad luck to make some room for us."

"I'm not _that_ old." Qrow groaned before deciding to throw the first punch at one of the incoming goons. It was enough to knock them back against a wall, but he wasn't fast enough to dodge an incoming punch. Stumbling back a bit, Qrow found himself falling back onto a few goons who couldn't move out of the way. It gave Majiam the opportunity to quickly run over their faces, making sure to stomp on their noises before helping the older gentleman up to his feet.

The Mad Dog made sure to ready his slugger bat, grinning as he began to swing it left and right, hitting any enemy that came close in range. A few hits here and there with his slugger, and Majima would release a powerful kick to send his foe flying back against a few thugs that were present. Qrow in the mean time was using his weapon to guard against any weapon-wielding thug before deciding to move them towards any incoming foe that approached him. Just as the thug punched his opponent instead, Qrow took two other thugs by their heads and proceeded to slam them against the ground with all his force, a loud yell coming out of him as he exerted a lot of energy into said attack.

Majima made sure to take care of the last thug standing, deciding to choke them with his bat as he stood behind them. "Yo! Qrow!" His voice caught the attention of the older gentleman who then began punching the torso of their captive enemy. Finally, Majima would knee their back as Qrow kicked their front side, knocking the thug unconscious. 

"Alright, we got this cleared up, let's head up!" Qrow began to lead the way, rushing up the stairs with Majima following behind. As luck would have it, a large sofa would be kicked down the steps where the two were heading up towards. Before he could dodge the attack, Qrow felt his arm being yanked, pulling him away from the tumbling sofa that would've hit him. Majima was there grinning. "Bad luck, eh?"

Just the way he sounded, Qrow couldn't be mad. It was like he made sure to keep an eye out for his partner, neglecting the danger he put himself in. 

The two made their way up the steps, proceeding to beat the living hell out of the thug that kicked the sofa down until he was downed. More thugs were present down the hall, to which Majima stepped before Qrow. "Let me handle this one." 

"Huh? What about-"

Qrow watched as Majima launched the top of his weapon towards the first thug, pushing them back a few feet by the sheer force into its launch. Dagger out in hand, the Mad Dog released a malicious laugh as he dashed forward, attacking any of the thugs that were present in swift fashion. Left and right, front and behind, he moved faster than the blink of an eye with cuts being made at every angle the Mad Dog came from. These thugs were helplessly taken down in mere seconds, to which Qrow couldn't help but to smile lightly. "...thanks." 

The next floors were a repeat of such events, stairs being blocked by thugs throwing objects down at them, and enemies filling the hallways. It was a rather fun moment for the older gentleman, who was given the opportunity to vent his anger at Ozpin and at life towards these foes that were taking advantage of the civilians here in Argus. He was going to protect the people, and his students from these gangsters that could outnumber them. All with a former yakuza himself, backing him up as he bashed heads against the wall and kicked their ribs. 

Majima knew long fights like this weren't new for him. He had been caught in a number of them already, and fought off entire families at once by himself. It was pleasant to see Qrow taking charge, as the older gentleman seemed to know what he was doing. 

"First time fighting lots of foes like this?"

"Not really..." he panted. "...but its sure as hell my first time using my fists and legs more than I normally do." A short chuckle came out of Qrow as he threw a quick punch to an incoming foe, knocking them to the ground. By the looks of it, every foe they've handled was downed. The hall was littered with unconscious or defeated men, whereas only Qrow and Majima stood above that red-velvet hallway. "Alright... he must be in that room down there, you ready?"

A thumb raised up, a warm smile appeared on Majima's face as he was prepared to face the captain. "Let's do it, old man." Rolling his eyes in amusement, Qrow made his way calmly down the hallway before approaching Fuyuhito's office. He didn't hesitate to lift his foot and kick the door handle, forcing it open. 

Behind that silver desk, a rather heavy looking man sat there with his hands folded before his lips. He donned a silver-light blue suit, with a cyan checkerboard tie. His eyes expressed greed and anger towards these two. In his office were many rich artifacts, such as lion statues to old-worn weapons of the past stored on his walls upon shelves. "...seems as if I have two flies standing before me." He spoke calmly, yet condescending as he stood. He was big alright, this man was an embodiment of greed. 

"Yo, you Fuyuhito?"

"Yes. That is me. What do you seek that costs my time and money?"

Talk about being a businessman. Qrow shook his head in shame. "Time and money? That you stole from these people? Give me a break... you know we're here to put an end to your operation!"

A smirk came to Fuyuhito's lips. Eyes narrowed towards Qrow. "Good. Let's begin."

There was no time to waste. Qrow dashed in with his hand held onto the handle of Harbinger and brought it before him to strike the captain standing before him, except it was halted immediately. Ice formed at Fuyuhito's fist and wrist, where he used to guard himself against Qrow's attack. With another fist, Fuyuhito punched Qrow away before throwing his sword away. "Such a pathetic weapon. The money invested in this must have brought you a huge loss-"

Majima rushed in to attack, this time sliding behind Fuyuhito as he tried to strike the Mad Dog when they took notice. Grabbing a nearby chair, Majima threw it at the captain's body to force him to react. Arms raised to form an ice shield before the chair could clash against him. Fuyuhito looked up to see an incoming kick coming at his face and unfortunately couldn't react fast enough to defend himself. It sent him stumbling back, only to trip over Qrow who was still picking himself up after that heavy punch sent him back moments earlier.

"Yo! Use his furniture against him!" Majima warned his partner, to which Qrow decided to grab a nearby lion statue sitting upon a shelf. It was small and gold, but it sure felt heavy. "Hey buddy, you're gonna have to report this as a loss!" He threw it towards Fuyuhito, who once again guarded himself before Majima and Qrow rushed in to start beating him. Though he was taking lots of hits, the captain's larger figure prevented him from feeling dazed too easily. 

He saw an opening, and proceeded to grab Majima by the face, and Qrow by the wrist. "You both... need to _cool down."_

Ice began forming out from his hands onto their body. The stinging cold began to make the Mad Dog yell in pain as ice froze over the top half of his face. As for Qrow, he winched as he felt his left fist beginning to freeze under the ice. He struggled to break free, but couldn't as the cold stung too greatly. "S-Shit! Hold on!" 

Qrow knew his friend was in trouble, any longer and Fuyuhito might actually kill Majima. There was one opening he had though. Stepping back, he launched his knee right into the captain's groin, forcing them to release him and the Mad Dog. 

"I swear... he's nuts to try and freeze us like that." Qrow panted as the ice broke off rather easily by bashing it against a wall. Majima unfortunately was blinded for a moment until he crashed into a wall, ice breaking as he fell onto his back. "... _holy fuck..._ that hurt..."

Turning back towards the captain, Qrow had time to return the pain they deserved. Grabbing them by the head, the huntsman brought it down to his knee before repeatedly bashing them in the face, finishing them off with a roundhouse kick to the face. 

Slowly he stood, and Fuyuhito had a few bruises staining his face. He still struggled to move due to Qrow's kick into his groin. "You... you'll pay for this!" Raising his hands, the captain pulled them back before launching them forward, shooting spikes of ice out of his hands towards the huntsman. Dodging both spears of ice. Qrow knew that Fuyuhito's rear flank was exposed to Majima, who was barely recovering. 

The Mad Dog jumped from behind, deciding them wrap his legs around Fuyuhito's head. "W-What are you-?!" The captain didn't have time to react, as he couldn't maintain his balance when Majima forcibly maneuvered him around. Their arms flailed, unable to shoot anymore spears towards Qrow. He took the chance to rush in and jump, legs kicking at the captain's torso to send them crashing against the wall just as Majima hopped off him. 

"Oi, now it's my turn!" The Mad Dog brought out his dagger and hopped into the air, bringing his blade down onto the left wrist of Fuyuhito just as he was about to shoot a spike of ice towards Majima. The captain began to grit his teeth to endure the pain felt, that blade dug deep into his limb. Blood squirted out, staining the suit Fuyuhito donned. There wasn't going to be any ounce of pity from the Mad Dog. He wanted to hurt this man after he nearly tried to freeze his face. With a sideways flip, Majima brought his knee down onto Fuyuhito's stomach, forcing them to stop enduring the pain and to experience it all.

Unable to bear the stab wound and the knee to the stomach, the captain began to shout in a fit of pain, coughing as he felt the need to vomit. Finally, he raised a hand to surrender. "Okay!... I... I forfeit... you've won this match."

Sighs of relief came out of the two men, both who chuckled at one another. "Ain't that a relief, you want to handle the negotiations, Mr. Branwen?" Majima teased the huntsman, who turned his face towards the captain. 

"You. If you don't want this Mad Dog to stab your other wrist and maybe hurt you some more, I'd suggest disbanding the family you got here and run off. Got that?"

Qrow's words brought a look of shock to the captain. "Dis... disband? Are you insane?! Shibusawa would do much worst to me than you two can ever hope to imagine!" 

"Eh... really now? What's his title?" Majima slowly stepped towards Fuyuhito, who tried to crawl away. A look of curiosity came over his face as the captain grew scared of him. "H-He's simply a lieutenant!"

 _"NOT THAT YOU DUMBASS!"_ A heavy kick to the side came from Majima, forcing the captain to answer. "H-He doesn't have any other names!" That response made the Mad Dog kneel beside Fuyuhito, hand grabbing his ear to pull him close. "See now? He ain't got any, you know why? Because he lost against Kiryu. When a man loses to someone with a title, you better bet your fuckin' ass that man is more dangerous than you think. Such as I, for example. They don't call me the _Mad Dog of Shimano_ for nothin'." Majima held his blade towards the captain's lips, threatening to cut him. "Now, are you gonna disband your family or will I have to make you?"

With a gulp of fear, the captain felt a drop of sweat roll down his forehead. "N-No. No sir... I'll do it on my own!" Fuyuhito shook his head, hoping to spare himself of anymore pain. Majima snapped his fingers, gesturing the man to stand up just as he did. "Good. Now write that letter and call one of your men who're alive to send it to y'er boss. We ain't leavin' til we see that happen, got it?"

Helpless and defeated, Fuyuhito struggled to stand on his own as he gave a nod. Slowly he dragged his feet to his desk, annoyed that he was suddenly forced to step down by two simpletons. 

"Seems like we got this covered." Qrow spat out a small chuckle before taking out his scroll. "I'm going to give the other two an update on our end. We can meet up with them later." Taking out his scroll, the huntsman began to type away. 

**[Qrow 9:22pm]** _We just finished taking care of Fuyuhito. We're having him disband the family at the moment, how are you two holding up?_

* * *

He couldn't believe it. Akiyama was chasing down a maniac with fire covering his feet and arms as he ran down the streets of Argus. "Kiryu! Take the left! We'll pinch him at the corner!"

"Got it!"The Dragon obeyed as he took a left turn at a crosswalk. A car was incoming, and with a quick reflex Kiryu rolled himself out of danger before it was too late. He stood back up, running once again down the sidewalk where a few pedestrians were present. "Move! Move!" 

The Loan Shark kept his chase on Hitoshi, who had the semblance to summon fire. "You've gotta be kidding me..." Panting heavily, Akiyama sidestepped just before Hitoshi launched a ball of fire where he was. Laughter came out of the captain, who was insane enough to draw attention to himself like this in front of people. He was quick, nibble, and athletic. His feet covered in flames left feet prints upon the roof of the cars he was jumping on. _"You've gotta be quick! Gotta be fast! You can't catch me! I'm the Fire man!"_

"Oh _shut up!"_ Grabbing a bottle off the ground, Akiyama readied his aim and threw it towards Hitoshi, landing a hit on the back of their head. It was perfect timing too as the captain was just about to land upon another car. He fell face first onto the roof, bouncing off it onto the street. This moment helped the Loan Shark to close the distance between them slightly, which in turn forced the captain to run on the sidewalk. 

Pedestrians were forced to move as a man on fire was running towards them, followed by a seemingly normal man. 

Turning his head, Hitoshi readied a ball of fire in his hand to shoot towards Akiyama. "Oh shit." His eyes widened at the sight of what was going to be fired at him. Without hesitation, Akiyama slid on the ground to keep his momentum and dodge the ball of fire that flew over him onto the cement. Standing back up quick, he'd grab another bottle off the hands of a drinker stepping out of a bar,

_"Hey!"_

"Sorry! I need this!" Readying his arm, Akiyama threw the bottle ahead of Hitoshi where he had to turn. Unfortunately the bottle missed, but Akiyama didn't falter. He kept up the chase throughout the city, forcing them into the trap he planned. Kiryu was coming in towards Hitoshi, who began to panic. _"What the-?!"_

A punch to the face sent the captain flying forward, falling onto his back just before he spun his legs to pick himself up. For some reason, he seemed even more pissed. _"...oh you've both done it now..."_ An odd and uncomfortable maniacal laugh came out of the captain as he boosted his flames, heating the fires on his wrists and feet. 

"Shit! Akiyama, we can't touch him like that."

"Then we just gotta water him down. He's too dangerous like this!" 

Eyes gazed around the city streets, only to focus on a fire hydrant. "Kiryu, we can use that!" Akiyama pointed as his ally was busy dodging balls of fire shooting at him. There was no use, they were going to have to fight like this if they couldn't open that fire hydrant. He'd take out his handguns and begin firing at the captain. 

Though bullets may miss from how quick he was moving, one did land into the arm of the captain who turned his head at the attacker. For a moment, his fire died down as he focused his eyes on Akiyama. _"Why you-_ _"_

A hand grabbed him by the back of the collar, only for a foot to kick him to the cement from behind. Hitoshi turned his head up to see Akiyama. The Loan Shark wasn't fast enough to kick them in the head, as a hand raised to shoot a ball of fire at him. Luckily Akiyama would dodge the attack. Both he and Kiryu had to step away as the captain raised both fists into the air, shooting out miniature balls of fire into the air and around him. The area around him began to become dosed with fire, which if stepped in did cause pain and burning to their suits.

Kiryu lost his cool for a moment as he patted his pant caught on fire. "S-Shoot... that's hot!" Grabbing his katana, the Dragon aimed it at Hitoshi just as he stopped firing and stood up. With the press of a trigger, Kiryu's blade shot out of its sheath towards the captai, knocking them back before it flew back towards him, landing right in Kiryu's hand. It was enough force to keep them dazed, giving Akiyama enough time land a few kicks before he sent them back to the ground with a swing downwards.

 _"Gah! Stop kicking me!"_ Aiming at the Loan Shark, the captain charged up a quick ball of fire with both hands instead of one, firing it at Akiyama. It struck him rather hard, leaving the man both on fire and in pain as he flew a few feet til he crashed against a car that began honking. Kiryu rushed over to help put out the flames, noticing Hitoshi now had them where he wanted. Again, he had a ball of fire charged up with both hands ready to launch, only to miss as the Dragon rolled out of the way, pulling Akiyama with him. It was a narrow dodge that melted the car. Who knows if that would've killed them both?

With the fires put out, Akiyama groaned as he stood up, noticing he wasn't badly hurt. "H-Hey, what's this glowing blue light around me?" The Loan Shark seemed confused as he realized his body wasn't permanently scarred. 

"That's your aura. Consider it as a shield or power for yourself. You got a semblance?" Kiryu dodged another one of HItoshi's fire balls, hoping Akiyama would say yes.

Unfortunately he didn't. "No, I didn't even know I had an aura. Maybe all this fighting is awakening it."

"Yeah, that's how it happens." There was no time to waste. Kiryu activated his semblance with a punch to the ground, his body enveloped in a bluish heat that helped put him on even levels as Hitoshi. As an outsider, it seemed alien to Akiyama. "Holy shi-"

He stood and watched as the Dragon of Dojima charged in, dodging the captain's fire balls until he came into punching distance. Kiryu didn't wait to start throwing a few punches left and right across the man's face, forcing them to cry out in pain with every punch he threw. 

Hitoshi raised a hand to charge up a ball of fire at Kiryu's face, only to miss the shot when the Dragon narrowly dodged the attack that flew by his head. Instead, he hopped off the ground to throw his right hook right into the captain's face, maximizing his power to deal more pain. Their body flew back a few feet against the city street they were on. It wasn't enough, but close to the fire hydrant. Akiyama rushed in and jumped into the air, bringing his leg around to also maximize the force that would land against the captain.

Instead, a ball of fire was quickly charged and fired at the Loan Shark. Though small and not as strong, it did send Akiyama away before he could land his attack. Kiryu took notice, eyes open in fear of what may have happened. "Akiyama!"

"Don't worry about me! J-Just cool him off!" The Loan Shark grunted, hands patting his body to put out the flames on him. 

With no time to waste, Kiryu dashed in to attack. Hitoshi was standing up now, both hands aimed together to charge up another ball of fire quickly towards him. _"Ehe... for Shibusawa!"_ He cried out, firing a shot that was larger than the one he shot at Akiyama.

Kiryu stepped to the side as it launched towards him, deciding it was time to attack. He jumped in the air, both legs kicking at the captain. It forced them to crash at the fire hydrant, knocking it over and firing a large spray of water from underneath.

The flames on Hitoshi's body began to go out as water from the fire hydrant landed all over him. _"No... no! I can't lose now! Shibusawa will-!"_ Looking up, he'd see an incoming fist fly right towards his face. Enough pressure was put into it to break Hitoshi's nose, just as Kiryu intended. "...That's payback for having us chase you like dogs, you asshole."

Panting as he was forced to the ground, blood and water now staining his face, Hitoshi was a crying mess. He whimpered as he looked up to see Akiyama staring down at him. With a click of his tongue, the Loan Shark twisted his body before sending his foot at high speed towards the captain's head, knocking them out instantly.

The second captain was downed, and the area they were in was a mess. Water shot into the air from the broken fire hydrant, a car was half melted due to the fireball sent from Hitoshi, and a small crowd was formed around the area.

"...ah shit. People are looking at us now." Akiyama gave out a low sigh, deciding to pull out a cigarette and lighter while Kiryu took out his scroll. "Hm, Qrow and Majima took down Fuyuhito, and they're going to force him to disband their family." Kiryu turned his head towards the unconscious Hitoshi, only to smile at Akiyama. "I think we can get him to resign and do the same once the police lock him up." 

"Yeah, I can go with that." A smile came to the Loan Shark's lips, deciding to pull out another cigarette for the Dragon of Dojima before lighting it up for him. Both men shared their smoke as police began to arrive at the scene.


	17. Heist

_2:29am._ That's the time their scrolls displayed once they had left the police station. Kiryu, Majima, Qrow, and Akiyama were all exhausted and hungry from their fights with the two captains that took place earlier. Only minor injuries were received, but nothing major to hinder their movement for the heist that would occur later in the day. Qrow took out his flask, untwisting the cap as he spoke up. "So where are we heading to next? Cause I'm starving..."

"Same..." Kiryu gave out a low sigh as he cupped his belly. His stomach began to grumble as they walked down the sidewalk in the middle of the night. Their footsteps were the only sounds to be heard in the dead of the night. No shops were open, all the signs were turned off. The only lights to appear were from the street lights, which gave a soft white coloring that shined upon them.

Akiyama was on his scroll, busy searching for any fast food restaurants that were open. Majima peeked his head to the Loan Shark's phone, curious to what he was searching. "What'cha lookin' for?"

"Any open places to eat. I bet everyone at Saphron's isn't awake right now." 

"Right... can't disturb their sleep neither." 

While looking, Akiyama stopped to look at a crossroads they approached. "Hey, are you guys okay with burgers?" Qrow and Kiryu stopped to turn towards him when he asked, both blinking in surprise. "Uh... yeah. Guess I can settle for a burger." Qrow wasn't too picky anyways. As long as he had his flask, he could settle for any meal.

"Right, well Smile Burger is still open 24-7. Let's take a left turn here." Akiyama pointed, noticing that the Smile Burger sign was still turned on as it rotated slowly in circles. The four began to make their way down the dead street, each of them remaining quiet due to exhaustion.

It wouldn't be long before each of them took a seat at one of the many open tables available for seating. For discussion purposes, they settled on sitting on the second floor of the small restaurant. Smile burgers, with fries and sodas were sitting in front of them. Kiryu, Majima, and Akiyama both clapped their hands together before muttering a small thanks in a spiritual manner. Qrow sat there about to eat his burger, frozen as he felt completely lost on the act. "...Uh, is that a gesture where you guys are from?"

"Yes. Its a sign of respect back in Kamurocho." Kiryu answered, taking a fry before eating it. Majima sipped on his large drink, while Akiyama was eating out of his burger. Qrow shrugged as he began to eat. 

The air between them wasn't peaceful. It was heavy, like an omnious presence was looming over their heads. It wasn't because of Salem, no. That was a different kind of air that they had to breathe in and deal with. The current matter at hand had them feeling unsure of themselves, whether the heist would work out without any surprises. 

"...So Shibusawa ain't in Argus anymore, eh? Ain't that some horseshit." Majima spoke up to break the silence. Everyone else seemed to feel worried about the fact, especially Kiryu. "...Maybe. It could be a lie."

"Are you sure? The captains said he left to Mantle not long ago." Akiyama chipped in, hands folded under his chin as he stopped eating for a moment. "Whether he's in Mantle or not, he still holds control over the rest of the clan that's here. I'm not yakuza, but I'm smart enough to know that Shibusawa needs to accept the captains' request to disband their families."

Kiryu gazed at his meal, seeing the many fries he hadn't eaten yet. "...so they're still here. Do you think they have any idea they might know about our heist?"

"I doubt it." Qrow shook his head. "No one told them about our idea. I mean, seriously... stealing an airship? That's something no one would openly speak about." He sighed before turning his head away. 

"...unless they've got connections."

Majima's words was a possibility that caught their attention. Each of them looking up to the Mad Dog. "If they've got connections to the Atlas military, then Shibusawa is more powerful than we think."

"W-Wait, you're saying a yakuza man made a deal with _the_ Atlas military?!" Qrow spoke up, seemingly louder than usual as he felt a hint of panic. "I ain't saying its a fact, but its a damn good possibility..." Majima sighed as he began to frown. "We need to be three steps ahead, don'tcha think, Kiryu-Chan?"

The Mad Dog was right. If they weren't ahead of the yakuza, the plan to getting an airship would fail and everyone would be imprisoned. "...Yeah. We'll have to discuss the idea in the morning with everyone. We don't know their details yet, but we have to keep the yakuza in mind." 

Everyone agreed to the suggestion as they stood up. With bellies full, they had only time to rest before the morning. One by one they walked down the stairs of the restaurant to the entrance, leaving through the sliding glass door out into the dead of the night. This was their last night in Argus.

* * *

"Okay, so is everyone ready?" Ruby asked to all her friends. Team RWBY, JNR, Kiryu and the other three men were all present in the living room. Saphron and her wife were busy taking care of the baby upstairs, giving them the privacy they needed. With a simultaneous nod, they all seemed rather nervous or excited for the heist that was about to happen in a hour. "Right... okay. So just to reiterate what the plan is, and for Qrow and the other guys to hear, Weiss is going to pretend to ask to return to her family. She'll sneak Maria in with her luggage to pilot the airship. When I give the signal, Blake will turn off the relay tower and from there we'll pick up everyone and fly to Atlas! Is that clear for everyone?" Ruby asked, a hint of a smile appearing on her face. 

"Uh, sort of..." Akiyama spoke up, the entire room turning towards him. Scratching the back of his neck, the Loan Shark felt unsure about what he was going to say. "There _might_ be something you're missing... what if we happen to run into the yakuza?"

Jaune cupped his chin in thought, wondering about that issue. "I completely forgot about that..." Ren would feel just as worried, noticing everyone's morale was decreasing. "Akiyama, did you four learn something from last night?"

"Sort of. Its both good and well... not really bad, but Shibusawa isn't here in Argus anymore." Weiss turned to look at him, eyes opening in a moment of surprise. "He isn't? That's good though, right?"

He shook his head. "Not really. To put a long story short, his two soldiers can't disband their families without Shibusawa's approval. That means there's a good chance we'll run into them.

"Not only that, but someone can take up the role of acting captain." Majima chipped in. "So there's a good possibility the clan is going to try and get revenge on us." 

For some reason, the idea that these four tried to take care of the clan and instead poked at the bee's nest bothered Nora. "Wait, so you didn't clean them up? All you guys did was provoke them even more!"

She wasn't wrong. Kiryu, Majima, and Akiyama all began to look away in a moment of shame. Qrow felt for them but to a greater degree. "Sorry... its my semblance that brings us bad luck."

"Uncle Qrow..." Ruby spoke up, noticing that Nora, Ren, and a few others felt bothered by their intervention. "O-Okay, so the yakuza _might_ come after us! But hey, its just a possibilit-!"

"No, Ruby! Its not _just_ another possibility! Its something that could bring our plan down and send us in jail, even worst: get us all killed!" Yang's words spoke for those who felt a distaste for the four's actions from last night. She was frustrated, knowing that their journey to Atlas continued to grow more difficult by the second. Blake was quiet the entire time, hands resting on her knees as she wasn't sure what to say exactly. Golden eyes looked up to Kiryu, who was looking ahead in thought. "Hey Kir-"

"I'll take them on."

The air came to a halt as Kiryu answered to their dilemma. Blinking in shock, Blake stood up from her seat to stand closer to him. "I-I'm sorry, what?" He turned her head towards her, a look of determination on his face. "The yakuza wants me dead. Not you guys. Its important you carry out your parts of the mission, but its also important I chip in and take care of a problem I started."

"Wait, hold on dude. That's like... 100 men you're taking on!" Yang wasn't sure whether she wanted to laugh or get mad at him. It was a stupid suggestion. Even Majima had to agree on this. "She ain't wrong. Kiryu-Chan. 'Sides. I got a grudge against them, so you ain't goin' alone." He smiled, hand patting the Dragon's left shoulder.

Another hand patted Kiryu's right shoulder, smiling at him was the Loan Shark. "Count me in. I'd like to give these guys some payback after what they've done." The Dragon couldn't help but to let out a sigh, a smile growing on his lips. "Fine, we'll take them on together. Qrow, you should stick with Ruby's group just in case."

"Yeah, I know." The huntsman grew a soft smile, seeing how those three were going to be their backup. "Alright, let's get this plan started. I'm tired of waiting.

One by one, everyone began to leave Saphron's, each of them saying their goodbyes to their hosts. Outside, Blake would grab Kiryu's hand before he could take off in a different direction. "Hey! Are... you okay?"

He stopped to feel the faunus grabbing him. Upset eyes gazing at her hand before looking up. "Yeah, why?"

"I just... I know this is kinda personal for you, so I wanted to make sure you're okay. That's all..." Her eyes gazed away in a manner of shyness, ears dropping to emphasize her anxiety. Kiryu began to pet her once more, knowing it would comfort her as it had always did. Blake couldn't help but to push her head up against his head, still holding her worried expression when she gazed back up at him. 

"I'll be fine. Just call me if anything happens on your end. I'll come running." 

His words did bring a small smile to her face, a feeling of relief washing over her just by hearing him say that. Leaning in, she'd peck his lips before pulling away. "Alright. You better kick some ass then!" 

With both of them smiling, Blake turned to head off with Yang while Kiryu turned to head in a different direction with Majima and Akiyama.

* * *

The plan would go just as smooth as it was planned. Weiss would approach the Atlas military base on the south end of Argus, holding a large luggage big enough to fit Maria. Standing before the gates, she'd retain her stoic yet unhappy expression. The two Nubuck guards would exaggerate as they opened the gates, each of them chanting with every step they took.

("...god these guys are annoying.") The Ice Queen thought to herself, watching as the gates opened and she could finally be let through. She'd avoid making eye contact with the commander of this base: Caroline Cordovin. 

"Well now, it seems the heiress has _finally_ decided to return to Atlas! Nubuck! Lead her to one of the airships we have." Caroline's words were strangely prideful, yet loud to have her men move on command. Both men led Weiss to one of the airships available, opening the ramp to allow her to step inside.

Walking onboard, she'd give out a sigh of relief when no one was present. The ship itself was set to autopilot, meaning they had the ship all to themselves. With the ramp closing behind her, it was her cue to open her luggage, setting Maria free from the stuffiness inside. "Yuck... you should've cleaned that bag ages ago!" Maria's complaint only brought an unamused expression to the Ice Queen as they took over the pilot's seat. Maria would begin to steer the ship away in a different direction once they were out of view from the base. 

"You should signal to your friend that we're on our way!" The former Grimm Reaper called out, steering the airship towards the edge of Argus so they could fly alongside it to find Ruby's group. With a nod, Weiss picked up her scroll, dialing for Ruby. "Hey, we're on our way! Get ready!"

On the other end, Ruby and the rest of her group were waiting patiently at a cliff. "Okay, just be safe, alright?" Weiss couldn't help but to smile, cheeks blushing. "Y-You too..." She hung up, holding the scroll close to herself as she began to smile like an idiot.

Parked just before the relay tower, Blake hopped off of Yang's bike before hearing her friend's question. "Need me to go with you?" Yang smiled, knowing Blake was going to fluster at her tease. "Haha... very funny, but I can handle it myself. Besides, stealth isn't exactly..."

That look of unamusement on Yang's face forced Blake to change her words quickly. _"I mean_ , you're great! I can handle this myself!" She'd laugh lightly, earning a smile from Yang before she could take off. ("Alright, let's get this done so we can head out of here...") Blake thought to herself as she ran towards the relay tower. Using her ribbon, she'd pull herself up to one of the elevated platforms attached to the base. Only a few guards were present, which was best suited for her since Blake knew she wasn't physically strong on her own.

One by one, she'd sneak up on each guard and wack them on the back of their necks, putting them down unconsciously. One of the guards standing a level above took notice. "H-Hey! What are you doing down there?!"

Blake's anxiety rose up quickly, her adrenaline kicking in. She'd quickly dash up to the upper level using her semblance. Where the guard stood, she used her ribbon to snatch their wrist before they could alert the Atlas military what she was doing on.

"Hey! Put your weapon down and-"

Blake flinched at the sight of what came before her. The man's arm was suddenly chopped off, blood squirting out as he began to scream in pain. Just the manner in which he sounded, it terrified her to the core. She knew who had done it, and her assumption couldn't be any less correct when she felt a hand grabbing her neck. She cried out in fear, eyes squeezed tight when she grabbed onto the wrist that choked her. 

_"Open your eyes, Blake!"_

Adam's voice commanded her. Like the good little kitty she was, she began to open them as she shook in fright of him. 

_"That's right... thought I was gone, didn't you?"_

"A-Adam... what are you-"

She winched at the slap she received, leaving a red mark against her left cheek. It stung enough to make her eyes water, a whimper coming out of her as her former lover inched closer towards her. 

_"You don't get to ask me anything, you got it?"_

With the grip of his handle, Adam didn't hesitate to thrust his sword into Blake's gut. A grin was on his face, watching Blake's terrified face from being gutted. That face vanished into thin air, his grin changing into a look of surprise as he turned to see the faunus coughing behind him.

"What... What the hell are you doing here Adam?!" Blake stood up, trying to regain her posture as the man stood there with fists closed. _"I've been chasing after you. You don't think I haven't forgotten what you did to me back at Haven? HAVE YOU?!"_

His words weren't too surprising, but it was so pathetic to see him step this low. "So you were stalking me? Why can't you leave me alone?!" She yelled back at him, gripping her sword just in time to see Adam rush towards her. Both swords clashed together, stopping one from striking down the other. _"I won't Blake. Not til I get what I RIGHTFULLY deserve!"_ Pulling away, Adam would proceed to strike her down in a serious of swings, each that were blocked or dodged. _"I lost my position, thanks to you and your stupid boyfriend!"_

So he wasn't the High Leader anymore? Thank goodness, the White Fang didn't need people like him leading the organization. "Well I'm glad you did! Because you're the _worst_ person to lead the faunus!" Switching to its gun form, Blake began to fire at the former High Leader while hopping to higher platforms at the relay tower. It was a shame she couldn't stop to send Kiryu or anyone a message for help. Adam was right behind her, ready to cut her down if she stopped moving for even a second.

_"Why did you have to come into my life and RUIN EVERYTHING?!"_

"I ran from you! I don't want to have anything to do with your life!" She'd fire at him a few more times until Adam dashed close to her. Quick to switch back to sword form, Blake clashed her weapon against his. A few more strikes came right after, each forcing her to take a step back before she tried swinging at him. Adam was quick to grab her wrist, and so was she to grab his other wrist, leaving them in a deadlock. 

Both partners struggled as they moved closer to the ledge. Adam couldn't free himself nor could Blake, yet she had the not-so brightest idea. She knew the best way to free herself was to force the two to fall off over the edge, sending the two crashing down through trees and branches until they'd hit the dirt ground. The crash was painful, leaving Blake with a moment of struggle to try and breathe while Adam stood up, dazed and hurt from his fall. This was bad. She didn't have her scroll on her, nor could she just run away... or could she? It was painful to know that was her only option, but staying alive was a bigger priority. 

* * *

Three men stood against the horde of yakuza that tried to attack them. Kiryu, Majima, and Akiyama had to fend off the crowd that largely outnumbered them. They were surrounded at the city gates that led to the edge of Argus, where Ruby and the others were waiting. 

"How's everything on your end?!" Akiyama pressed his earpiece, wanting to hear an update on what was happening on Qrow's end. 

_"Not good! That cat didn't turn off the relay tower, now we're dealing with Cordovin! She's in some huge robot!"_

"What?!" Taking a moment to stop and kick an incoming goon, Akiyama returned to his call. "Wait, Blake didn't turn off the tower?"

 _"No, so Yang is going out to see what's going on. Meanwhile, we're stuck fighting an actual robot!"_ Qrow was clinging tight to the back of the Colossus he was fighting. Ren was beside him, trying to see if he could open a panel. "Hey Kid! Open that thing already!" He couldn't hold tight any longer. Any more shaking from this robot and the huntsman would find himself falling to the ocean. 

Akiyama grunted in annoyance knowing that their plan was getting bumpy. He'd continue to kick the men that approached him, at times pushing them towards Kiryu who fired a punch to their gut before throwing them over his head to the ground. "What's going on, Akiyama?"

"Its not good. Something must've happened to Blake." The Loan Shark felt a punch to the side of his head, causing him to stumble. Majima took notice and went to work on taking down the goons that attacked his ally. Kiryu chipped in, making sure to protect the Loan Shark from any incoming attacks. He'd grab a hand that nearly struck his friend, twisting it to break the elbow to render the thug out of commission. "What happened to Blake?" Kiryu asked, a clear tone of concern in his voice.

His focus regained, Akiyama shook his head as he threw a kick forward, and a punch to any of the incoming thugs. "I don't know! But Yang went to check it out!"

"Yang did?!" Majima asked as he got down on his hands, legs spinning outward to kick away the numerous amount of Tojo Clan members that tried to attack him.

"Yeah! I don't know if we should- wait, Kiryu!" Akiyama noticed the Dragon was beginning to run off to the edge of Argus, a few men chasing after him. Majima noticed as well, but decided against chasing after him. "Leave it! We gotta take care of these punks!" Majima took out his dagger before swinging it at the men that charged at him. One by one they'd go down with cuts across their arms or wrists.

The Loan Shark couldn't help but to worry, but he knew it was important he and the Mad Dog took care of holding off the clan. "Right... let's take care of them."

"Yeah, we can say its on me if shit goes to hell." A grin came over Majima's face, knowing that it was him and Akiyama up against more than 100 men. "Guess we're a two man army that poked the bee's nest!" He chanted before charging at the large crowd that could easily overwhelm the two.


	18. Nevermore

Running through the forest, Blake found herself panicking the longer Adam chased after her. This wasn't suppose to happen, none of this was suppose to. Now their mission had fallen apart and there was nothing left to do except fight back. Using her ribbon to fling herself to a tree's branch, Blake scanned the area for where her former mentor could be. "Leave me alone!"

She hoped to find him soon. The thought of being stabbed in the back when she wasn't looking scared her to the core. Luckily for her, her cat ears were sensitive in hearing, and she picked up a twig snapping to her west. Gold hues shifted immediately towards the source of the sound, only to have her body move back when she noticed Adam charging in through the air to try and cut her in half. 

_"Stop... moving!"_ He grunted through gritted teeth, growing more impatient with every miss he made. His face turned to see Blake hanging off the branch she was normally sitting on, fingers keeping her from falling to the ground. With a grin of amusement, Adam wstepped on the woman's fingers, forcing a pained yelp out of her before she released and fell.

Colliding with the dirt once more, Blake coughed in pain as she struggled to stand. This fight was starting to wear her down. The longer she continued to run, the less likely she was going to make it out alive. Slowly she stood back on her feet as Adam fell down carefully from the tree, eyes facing towards an exit in the forest they were in. Limping, Blake made her way to the forest's exit, shivering from the cold she felt. 

("...It... its so cold...") She thought to herself, wishing Adam hadn't cut her white trench coat earlier. Nope. He had to take away a lot of things from her. From the little things like her coat to her love and trust for him. 

Panting as she ran outside of the forest to a bridge next to a large waterfall, Blake stopped to catch her breath. If only she continued running, because she felt the hilt of Adam's blade hitting her on the back with tremendous force, like a heavy punch firing at her back. Another cry of pain came out of her as she was pushed to the ground, hands struggling to hold herself up. 

"S-Stop... Adam just leave me-"

Turning her head, she'd notice his foot connecting with her face, pushing her close to the edge of the bridge they were on. She was on her back, struggling to breathe as blood came out of her bottom lip. There was a bruise on her cheek, a punch that Adam threw at her earlier. 

The former High Leader was ruthless in hurting Blake. His teeth snarled at her, watching as she helplessly laid on the ground, exhausted and hurt from his attacks. "A lot of people hurt me Blake..." Slowly, the ribbon that covered his eyes became undone, exposing the _606_ scar that was printed across his left eye. "...but no one ever hurt me, as much as you did. You came into my life, then ran off when I needed you most." Slowly, he began to take a knee, pressing it firmly against his ex-girlfriend's stomach to ensure she was uncomfortable. "...You had to come to Haven, and ruin _everything_ _!"_ Two hands wrapped around her throat, squeezing tight to block her breathing.

She couldn't believe it. He was actually choking her, the farthest he had gone in his abuse. It shook her to the core, eyes watering in a manner of fear and adrenaline as he slowly began to kill her. Blake choked as she slapped his face, struggling to stun him long enough to kick him away. It was no use. Every slap and smack she gave to him did nothing to faze him. She could only watch as he angrily stared down at her, choking the life out of her.

_"A-Adam-!"_

Her voice struggled to escape her mouth, his hands constricting every bit of airflow inside her neck. Her vision was starting to fade. The pressure was building up inside her head, it felt like her eyes were going to pop out. Eyes? Wait a minute.

Shifting her vision back to Adam's face when she wasn't looking, Blake took the chance to stop smacking him and instead poke both of his eyes as hard as she could, nails digging a bit into his own eyes. The attack forced Adam to release her neck, a loud cry of pain coming out as he began to cover his eyes. _"Agh-! FUCK! You little BITCH!"_

This moment gave Blake more than enough time to recover her breath, hands rubbing her neck to ease the pain she felt. Carefully she stood up, only to let out a loud whine as she felt a heavy fist connecting to her face. Adam had punched her in retaliation, giving the faunus a black eye. It was enough to have the her crying, whimpering as she crawled to grab her weapon that was laying a few feet away. Just in time she moved her sword in the air to defend herself from a swift and heavy swing coming from Adam. It was powerful enough, filled with hatred, to break Gamble Shroud's blade in two, knocking Blake to the ground before a kick was delivered to her face.

She was hurting immensely at this point, winching as she felt her hand being stepped on. She began to punch his ankle with the little energy she had left. Adam could only grin in amusement, enjoying the pain he was delivering to the one who ran from him. _"Tell me Blake... where is he?"_

"W-Where's who..?" 

_"Kiryu. That human you ditched me for like the unloyal brat you are."_ Releasing his foot from her hand, Adam delivered a swift kick to the faunus' head, sending her flying back a few feet. 

Defeated and unable to move, Blake whimpered as she laid on the ground. She stared up at the sunny sky, wishing for peace instead of pain like she was enduring at this very moment. Her entire body ached, feeling blood dripping from her mouth as Adam brutally harmed her in the past five minutes. "...h-he's... not here... and you'll... n-never lay a hand on him... even if it means I have to get hurt for it." 

Her face began to glare at him, showing her former lover that she wasn't going to give in so easily. It worked, because Adam began to lose his cool. Grabbing his blade, he'd raise it in the air above the faunus' stomach. _"Then I hope he enjoys seeing your dead body, Blake."_ His hand lowered with a lot of pressure, making sure his sword dug deep into the woman's abdomen as he gave out a battlecry. That shocked look of pain on her face vanished as she had left behind a clone to take a hit. The act itself left Adam in a frozen state of anger. His fist shook, wishing that brat would stop fleeing from her.

_"DO YOU EVER STOP RUNNI-!"_

A sudden motorcycle was coming right towards him from the sky, colliding with his body and falling into the ocean. Yang had barely managed to make it to the scene in time, panting as she had her gauntlets ready. Her face turned to see Blake in a beat-up state, a sight that horrified her. "...Oh my god... B-Blake! Are you okay?!" Yang rushed towards her, hands cupping her arms gently. The look of shock and fright came to Yang's face as she inspected her friend's bruised face. "Did... Adam do this?"

The little act of comfort was enough to bring a tear to her eyes, head shaking as she angrily pointed to Adam, who was recovering from the hit he took. "Y-Yea... he... he did this to me..."

"...Right. Of course it'd _be_ him..." Her hair slowly began to glow, strands hovering as her eyes became red. She was seriously about to lose it. To think this jackass went as far as to abuse Blake.

With a small chuckle, Adam gazed over at Yang, who seemed close to exploding like the last time they met. _"Well look at you! Its been a while... hasn't it?"_

"It has been, you _asshole!"_

 _"...I'm ashamed to see you made friends like her, Blake."_ Adam turned his gaze over to the faunus. Although hurt, Blake knew what he was trying to provoke her companion. "...Friends like her are better than people like you, Adam." Standing up as best she could, the faunus felt the pain becoming too much for her, so she had to sit back down to ease it.

Shaking her head, Yang would give Blake a warm smile, eyes now lilac. "Take it easy. I'll cover it from here. I'll break this asshole if that's what it fucking takes to get even!" Her gaze turned back to Adam, blinking to make her iris change to red once again as her hair fired up in fury.

A smirk of ego came over Adam's face, amused to see Yang was ready to fight. He knew how weak she was, a thought that made a small chuckle escape him. _"Let's see how fast you've become since Beacon, Yang..."_

* * *

Dashing through the forest, Kiryu knew what he was doing put a great risk on Majima and Akiyama when he ditched the battle from earlier, but he wasn't going to leave Blake alone when the possibility of her being in danger existed. Sounds of a helicopter flew over the forest, the air gushing down greatly at him. Shielding his head, Kiryu gazed up to see a thug manning a machinegun right at him. 

_"Shit-!"_

Bullets fired like hell down towards the Dragon of Dojima, forcing him to take cover behind a few trees. He didn't have the speed Blake had to dodge the minigun's aim, let alone transport himself up to the helicopter with her ribbon. He was stuck in place, grunting as the tree absorbed all the bullets. Only when the firing stopped did Kiryu make another run for wherever he could go. The open field placed him at a greater disadvantage, leaving him with only one option: run as far as he could. 

His feet kicked against the ground, panting heavily as he told himself not to stop running. One little mistake could have him being shot at by the hellstorm of bullets that rained from above. ("Why now..!! I'm so close to the tower!")

It was the stirring of the minigun that forced Kiryu to take cover once more. The tree he was at was wide enough to cover him, but he was stuck in this game of Cat and Mouse. "Dammit... I need their help!" Pressing his earpiece, he'd radio in for Majima. "Oi! Majima, I'm being pinned by a helicopter!" 

_"Helicopter eh? Alright! Hold on a little longer Kiryu-Chan! Just gotta mop up the rest of these punks!"_ The Mad Dog would laugh in excitement as he struck down many of the thugs that surrounded him. His form of Breaker was sufficient in crowd controlling, legs spinning in an area of effect that kicked any approaching thug. Meanwhile, Akiyama fired his leg repeatedly, kicking fast and hard at the line of thugs that approached him. Turning around quick, he'd grab the last standing thug before throwing them towards Majima. He finished them off with a finishing dance move that had him standing on his hands and legs posed just in time to kick the thrown thug. 

Panting to catch his breath, the Loan Shark would sigh in relief as he gazed around the area. A large number of unconscious men were laying besides them. "Wow... look at the work we did." His eyes gazed at the Mad Dog who was approaching one of the cars the Tojo Clan members arrived in. "Yo! Get in, Kiryu-Chan needs help."

Without a moment of hesitation, Akiyama jumped into the car's driver seat while Majima inspected the back seat. A look of surprise came to him as he discovered a hidden weapon. "Ohoho! This will come in handy..."

Changing the lever into drive and kicking the gas, the car began to move rather fast towards the edge of Argus. "So where are we heading, Kiryu?" Akiyama had asked, finger on his earpiece as he avoided any of the trees at the high speed he was going.

Still avoiding the helicopter that tried to kill him, the Dragon took cover behind any of the trees that shielded him. "There should be a helicopter in the air shooting at the ground! Better hurry up, or I won't be able to get to Blake!"

"On it!" The Loan Shark pressed harder on the gas, the speedometer reaching close to 60mph in a forest, which wasn't ideal. "Yo, make sure not to crash." Majima patted the driver's shoulder, holding a rocket launcher in his other hand. Akiyama had to do a double-take, wondering why the Mad Dog had such a dangerous weapon. _"Why_ do you have a rocket launcher?!"

"I dunno, just found it." 

"Tch, better not shoot that thing in here!"

Speeding through the trees, Akiyama would lean in to notice something was in the air. "That's it! There's the helicopter! Majima, get ready." Akiyama would steady his steering as they approached the open area the helicopter was flying above. Just in time, the car stopped as a window lowered. The Mad Dog hopped out with his weapon in hand. "One shot... _one kill!"_

A loud fire came from the launcher as a rocket was fired into the air. The shooting from the helicopter stopped just for it to slowly move away. It wasn't done in time as the rocket fired into the tail of the helicopter, forcing the pilot to make a crash landing before Majima and Akiyama. Kiryu had stepped out to see his two friends were doing alright, each of them nodding at each other when they turned to the wrecked copter. The fires burnt over the vehicle, a large silhouette approaching them as it stepped out from the passenger pit. 

A large, buffed up man appeared, standing near seven feet, with a ripped red pinstripe suit appeared, dark sunglasses covering his eyes and head bald. Some facial hair around their lips appeared neatly trimmed and professional, emphasizing how much of a danger this man could be. The explosion of the helicopter didn't seem to faze him. Instead, he took on a fighting stance, his gaze focused at the Loan Shark and Mad Dog. _"You two. Now."_

"Tch, guess he wants a fight... Kiryu! Keep goin', we can take care of this punk." Majima ordered his friend, dagger out in hand as as Akiyama took on an offensive stance. "Its okay, Kiryu! We'll be fine like last time!"

He couldn't help but to gaze at his friends, realizing they truly were backing him up on his decision. "...Thank you." Turning to run, Kiryu knew he had to check on where Blake could be. The relay tower wasn't too far off now.

* * *

Blake watched as Adam threw his blade at Yang, who seemed to be able to shield any slashes with her prosthetic. This would be the only time she'd thank Atlas for their product, as it protected her friend from getting cut or gravely injured. 

In the meantime, Yang would hop in the air, kicking her feet at Adam. Every attack was blocked by his sword, unless she was smart enough to move her aim and land a hit at his chest. The former High Leader had to take a step back, grunting as he felt the pain from her kick. _"So... when you're mad you deal more damage huh? What a shitty power you have! Just like that whiny brat over there who DOES nothing but run all day!"_

With her semblance figured out, Yang pouted in annoyance. "Oh _ha ha_ , yet you can't get over your ex!" She'd notice Blake was struggling to speak up to her. "Y-Yang... his semblance... he absorbs your attacks and sends them back once he's ready!" 

_"Can't you keep your fucking mouth shut?!"_

"I don't know, can't you just drop everything and leave us alone?!" Yang retorted, red hues focused on her enemy who was relentless on attacking her. She had to block herself, as she knew what was about to come out of him.

The area around him grew dark, the red on his hair, outfit, and blade glowing rather harshly as his power was fully charged up. With all his rage, Adam released a wrathful battle cry as he swung his blade downwards to the ground, unleashing a huge wave of red energy that washed over Yang. Her prosthetic was powerful enough to absorb most of the energy, the rest moved her close to the edge of the bridge they were on. The waterfall moving behind her.

Yang took the chance to breathe for a moment, holding her glare at Adam. "Now its my turn.." She'd ready her gauntlets before dashing in, grunting as she fired shells at him. Each shell was deflected by his blade, giving the man a chance to rapidly dash around the blonde before attempting to strike her down from the air. Yang was quick to step aside and watch as he missed, launching a punch to his head that left him dazed. She didn't hesitate to charge in and beat him down, punching left and right across his face before she'd kick him a few feet away. Luckily for her, she was much more of a fist fighter than Adam was, which was proven based on how he couldn't take a beating.

 _"No... no no. I am NOT losing until I find that bastard human!"_ Adam spat out blood that leaked from his mouth, scowling at Yang. His vision grew red, wrath taking over as she was just an obstacle in his way. Yang blinked in confusion, unsure who he was referring to. "...who the hell are you talking about?"

Adam slowly stood up, wiping the blood from his lips. _"...Kiryu Kazuma. All I need to do is kill Blake, then him."_

Kiryu? He was after her? That was a shocker. "And why the hell does that matte-"

_"IT MATTERS BECAUSE THEY TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME!"_

Adam's voice was startling to hear, seeing how it was Yang's first time hearing something personal coming out of the former High Leader. He charged at her, swinging his blade as well as kicking her aside when he could. Meanwhile, the blonde stepped aside from every swing, or guarded against it until she felt that kick to her leg that forced her to take a knee. With quick timing, she'd raise an arm to block his blade that striked down from above, struggling to push upwards against it when Adam pushed it down at Yang's prosthetic. 

Unfortunately for the blonde, she'd fail to win the deadlock and felt the force of his blade pushing her down. A kick to the chest had Yang coughing out all her air, only to receive another kick to the face that left her nose bloodied.

_"So you like kicking people, huh? Well DO YOU?!"_

She'd breathe in her short span of a rest, hands holding her up from the ground as she turned her gaze at Adam. He was ready to attack her, and she wasn't ready to counter. "...You're so fucking delusional..."

Her comment had Adam surprised for a moment, only for his anger to become riled up more than ever. There was no need to say anything, as his next attack would do all the talking. With a powerful scream, Adam rushed at Yang and jumped into the air. Aiming his blade downwards, he'd land the tip of his blade where Yang's head was at, a large dust cloud forming around them from the impact of his heavy attack. 

Blake coughed as she was near it, her left eye not working properly thanks to Adam punching it. She could only see with less depth than usual. "...Y-Yang..?" She called out, anxious to see what the outcome of Adam's attack was.


	19. Like a Brother

The dust cloud began to evaporate, leaving only two figures that stood in the center. Blake felt a gasp coming out of her, seeing how Yang had managed to grab Adam's sword with her prosthetic hand. It shook, struggling to keep the tip of his blade inches away from stabbing her eye out. 

"G-Gotcha..." 

Slowly she moved the blade away from her head, left arm raising with a fist attached to the end of it to strike her opponent in the gut where he was standing. Before she could throw that punch, the blonde felt a powerful kick to the face. Adam had thrusted his knee into Yang's face, sending her flying back a few feet where Blake was recovering. The faunus began to panic, eyes opened in a state of fear. "....n-no... Yang... YANG! GET UP!" 

She cried out as she crawled towards her friend, shielding her with her body as tears began to seep out of her eyes. Her hands grabbed Yang by the shoulders, shaking her back and forth. _"Yang! Get up! P-Please, I need you, he's going to kill us-!"_

 _"That's right, Blake."_ Adam slowly approached the two, hand gripping his blade's grip tight. he approached the two women lying on the ground, amused by Blake's expression of fear splashed all over her face. _"I've been waiting for a long time... to kill you and everyone you love. I bet I'll enjoy seeing Kiryu crying before your dead body."_

Raising his sword, Adam hovered the tip of it over Blake's back, where it could dig into both her's and Yang's body. He took it in seeing how Yang was unconscious from his attack, and how helpless Blake was with nobody to stop him. _"Enjoy your death, Blake."_

The faunus squeezed her eyes shut tight, hands clinging to Yang's shoulders as her head pressed against their chest. If she was truly going to die here, then at least she would be with someone and not alone, the opposite of what Adam always tried to tell her. 

A fire of an object came from behind, colliding with Adam's back. It was just in time to have the man miss his opportunity of victory, saving both Blake and Yang. She'd hear the noise, shuddering in fright of what that could possibly be. Wait, did Adam cry out in pain? Who came to save her? 

Her body lifted off of Yang's, noticing Adam was grunting in pain before she turned her gaze to the direction of the attack. There he was, catching his katana as it bounced back to him. Kiryu was present, a sight she believed was more than a miracle. Maybe fate itself had said it wasn't her time yet. Blake felt her eyes watering heavily, a smile coming to her face as relief washed over her. "...You came..." 

"Yeah... just in time too." Kiryu already knew what had happened. He easily read the situation, from Blake's black eye and bruises, Yang heavily injured as she laid unconscious, to Adam rubbing his back in pain. His eyes narrowed down at the former High Leader, who was the main culprit behind the attack on these two women. He began to squeeze his fist tightly, anger coursing through his entire body. Adam had beaten down two women, one of them being his current lover. With a heavy step forward, Kiryu caught Adam's attention. "ADAM!"

His shout was a threat, something that made Adam begin to chuckle softly. _"...heh... heheh... so you finally came... Kiryu. All this time, I wanted to find you for humiliating me back at Haven, and you decided to show up right to me! You're just as foolish as Blake is..."_

Hearing the former High Leader's words only boiled his blood even more. "I already told you. I did what I had to do to protect the faun-

_"NO! YOU WERE JUST PROTECTING YOURS-!"_

"I DID WHAT YOU COULDN'T!"

Kiryu's words were heavy, and struck down on Adam's chest when he least expected it. It was enough to stir up the former High leader's anger, hands clenching tight in a manner preceding a total loss of control over his rage. _"I... was doing what we rightfully... no. What I deserved! Blake took everything from running, the humans took away the equality us faunus deserved! YOU TOOK AWAY MY POWER!"_

"Is that so..?" Kiryu huffed at him, seemingly amused by Adam's loss. "...Then maybe it wasn't your's to begin with, you punk." He gripped his blade, eyes glaring down at him worst than Adam could glare at him. "Just because you've been hurt... it doesn't give you ANY RIGHT TO HURT OTHERS!"

Both men shouted as they began to charge at each other, blades in hand as they aimed to stop the other. Adam wanted his power, his peace, everything he felt was rightfully taken from him. Kiryu wanted to put an end to all this. The hurting he dealt to people, his obsession with Blake, and most of all Adam himself. 

Blades clashed tightly against one another, forcing them to back away when no one could attack in their deadlock. Kiryu was careful in his position, keeping a close eye on Adam in such a tight space. "You've had a lot taken from you, I know someone who's just like that."

_"Oh yeah? And what became of them?"_

"...someone like you. Full of hatred, anger, a lust for power when they lost everything they cared for."

Adam didn't want to hear anymore of this and went ahead with throwing his blade at Kiryu. It spun at him, only to be blocked by Kiryu's katana. Adam charged in to grab his sword and swing it to the ground, where the Dragon side stepped away from. Every swing had Adam charging in, pushing Kiryu across the bridge and around when the man got too close to the edge. 

_"_ _Everythi_ _ng I ever wanted was TAKEN FROM ME! How could you ever hope to understand what I've been through?!"_

Only pity filled his mind after hearing that. Everything he was saying, it reminded Kiryu of someone he once held close to. Like a brother.

Adam leaped into the air, deciding to stab his sword onto the Dragon's head. With a quick moment's notice, everything seemed to slow down. Kiryu took the opportunity to launch his fist into the air where Adam's gut was, putting a halt to the former High Leader's attack. Their body flew and crashed against the ground, landing besides Blake who scurried away from the showdown the two men were having. It hurt her deeply seeing what was happening. Her former and current lovers were going at it, both focused on either murdering or saving her. "K-Kiryu..." She muttered, gazing down to see how Yang was doing. She was rested upon the faunus's lap, currently in Blake's protection.

Both blades clashed repeatedly, only for both to be shot out of their sheaths unexpectedly. Adam and Kiryu both bounced back in pain as they received each other's attack in the gut, except Kiryu's katana returned to its owner due to the modification it had stored inside. Adam's blade fell to the ground before him, rendering him armless. 

He'd look at his blade then at Kiryu, quickly making a plan to retrieve his lost weapon. _"...so you say I reminded you of someone. I'm guessing it was another human?"_

Kiryu kept his guard up just in case, hoping to keep Adam at bay while keeping an eye on the sword that laid between them. "...Not just _another_ , he was my sworn brother. Someone I grew up with. I wasn't there to prevent him from falling into darkness, and it still hurts me seeing that you're no different than him."

His comment did bother the former High Leader, who's teeth gritted in annoyance. _"Don't. You dare. Compare me to a human."_

"I'm not. You understand there's no difference between you and my brother, right?" 

_"IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THERE'S NO DIFFERENCE!"_ Rushing in, Adam would leap over Kiryu's swing of his sword and pick up his blade right after, landing right behind him. he'd bring it down across the Dragon's back, only to miss when Kiryu spun and grabbed him. He'd stare him in the eyes before pulling themselves apart, only to bring them back in again but with a headbutt against Adam's forehead, leaving the faunus in pain. 

"Whether you're human or not, we _both_ feel pain! Just as much as there's bad humans out there, there's bad faunus, yet I'm doing _everything_ I can to put an end to his feud between us!" 

_"No..._ _"_ Coughing out more blood, Adam picked himself back up, blue eyes staring down at Kiryu. _"...I won't be satisfied until I have all of humanity bowing under my feet."_

Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Kiryu prepared himself for what was coming next. Adam charged in, unleashing a flurry of attacks that the Dragon couldn't expect. Whether it was a sword spin, to upwards swings, to even horizontal strikes, Kiryu found himself blocking them just as fast as Adam was releasing them. _"Why. Can't. You. Just. DIE ALREADY?!"_

Stepping back, the former High Leader kicked against the dirt to halt himself for his next attack. He was impatient to kill. Ready to end another man's life, especially someone who he took a significant loss to. The space around Adam became black, the red on his body and weapon glew as his semblance was preparing to release. Their eyes gazed at Kiryu, focused on unleashing Moonslice onto him. 

_"KIRYUU!!"_

His battle cry was filled with determination and hatred towards this man. That red burst of energy ran across the bridge, leaving behind a cloud of dust that followed. Kiryu had had no other choice but to guard against it. He'd raise his katana in a guarding stance, bearing the pain that Adam brought unto him. He could feel their hatred, how angry Adam was at the world for taking everything from him. 

Watching from the distance, Blake grew worried for her partner who had to fight in her position. "...Kiryu..? Kiryu! Are you-" She gave out a small yelp as a burst of blew energy came from where the Dragon was standing. Adam blinked in surprise, wondering why the man just wouldn't go down. _"W-What? Are you seriously kidding-!"_

The Dragon of Dojima didn't hesitate on using his power to strike down Adam. He dashed towards them, and unleashed a fury of swings and attacks that placed the former High Leader on the defensive. Swinging left and right, up and down, and going as far as to shooting his katana out of his sheath up close was Kiryu's method of showing how ruthless he could be when it came to fighting.

Receiving the blunt of their katana to his stomach, Adam spat out saliva as he flew a few feet once again. He couldn't underestimate this man. He was stronger when his semblance was activated. _"...H-How did you... activate that power so fast?"_

With blue flames dying out, Kiryu's semblance turned off. He had ran out of Extreme Heat for the time being. "Everytime I guard against your attack, it builds up my semblance. Guess it makes your's pretty useless against mine."

Unable to respond, Adam's mouth was slightly agape before he stood up, only to drop to his knee and vomit off the edge. Sure enough, Kiryu had done plenty of damage to the former High Leader, but was it enough to end the fight?

"Adam... we can end the fight right here. You can help us in achieving true peace and equality. Just as you always wanted. At the very least, let me save you where I couldn't save Nishiki..."

_"Stop... talking as if I'm your fucking human brother! We are nothing alike! I am a faunus, I worked in that dust mine tiredlessly like a slave! You humans had no one to order you around!"_

"We did! Our boss... our father... he sent me to Beacon. I wasn't there to guide him on the right track, and when he started killing people, he became just like you! He did whatever it took to get what he thought was rightfully his! Whether it was through violence or murder." Kiryu sighed in sorrow, knowing he couldn't stop the path of evil Nishiki treaded on. Now here was Adam, reminding him of the fault of his actions. This battle, it hurt the Dragon. It was all one big slap in the face that reminded him of someone he lost that was very dear to him, and now here he was fighting another person just like Nishiki.

Adam did seem to understand for a moment, hesitating to attack. _"...and your brother, what became of him? Did you kill him?"_ He'd see a look of sadness in Kiryu's eyes, realizing maybe... just maybe this man actually was getting through to him. 

"...he sacrificed himself to save those he loved." 

Hearing his words, Blake could only feel sadness for him. She knew exactly what he was talking about. Losing what you loved could change a person completely. It can guide them onto a different path than intended, one filled with negativity, a darker mindset, selfishness and cruelty. That person can change from someone with an idea to save others to saving themselves. Adam was the perfect model for that. She recognized how passionate he was for faunus equality, his love for her. To think she was in love with him too, but that all changed when he resorted to violence. He changed from a idealistic hero for the faunus to a selfish person looking out for themselves. Her heart ached seeing how evil he became. "...Please Adam... stop... _stop all this..."_

He'd turn his gaze towards Blake, realizing that maybe it was truly time to lay the blade to rest. All the killings, all the operations on stealing from humans, they led him up to this point as if fate wanted him to be here at this specific point in time. "...I... I guess you're right."

Her ears perked up, having heard what Adam just said. She watched as he picked up his blade carefully, staring at the dirtied red blade that was used to cut down so many people, so many enemies. All the clashes it came unto, the battles he carried it through, it time to put it to rest. With a heavy sigh, Adam began to sheath his weapon before approaching Kiryu. 

It was strange to see the former High Leader approaching him calmly. He gazed up at the Dragon, a straight face that was tired of everything. The next thing he felt was a hug from Adam, something Kiryu couldn't believe was happening. For once, Adam was beginning to accept that maybe humans and faunus could coexist in harmony and equality. Blake was just as shocked, but she couldn't help but to smile. It was like a heavy weight was off her chest, seeing how he was no longer vengeful or bloodthirsty. No. He was finally at peace with himself.

Kiryu, who was still being hugged, knew he had no other choice but to start the next course of action. By returning the hug, he'd start a path that would truly set faunus and humans into a world of equality with Adam's help. A smile came to his face, knowing he was giving Adam the warmth he deserved.

His eyes shot open in the next second, the feeling of a cold metal digging into his guts, it was a feeling he couldn't bear. A grunt of pain escaped as blood seeped out of his mouth. He turned his head down to see what was happening. To think he was this naive, Adam had his sword stabbed through his abdomen.

_"...Blake's right... its time to put a stop to this fight and end you for good."_


	20. Epilogue

The cold feeling of steel trapped inside him, his body ached in the feeling of something sharp that teared through him. Blood ran up his throat, forcing the Dragon to cough it out onto the ground before him as he stood. Limping over, he leaned against Adam, who had thrusted his blade into him without any expectation. Kiryu fell for the oldest trick in the book, and his ignorance made him pay the price.

_"...How does it feel... knowing you've lost?"_

Adam's words haunted him. He was too weak to move or fight back. A low groan came out as he felt the blade withdrawing from his body, legs beginning to struggle to hold him up. Lowering even a bit emphasized the pain inside his abdomen, forcing Kiryu to hold onto Adam's shoulders. He slowly raised his head, knowing he was going to die here. It seemed his time had finally come. Fate told him this would be his last moments of living, with a sword through his body and blood spilling out of him onto the ground, staining his clothes as it leaked out of him.

Only laughter came out of the former High Leader, a laugh that sounded victorious and prideful. It was heavy and heartfelt, a genuine moment of pride for the faunus. Said laughter was cut off immediately when a sword stabbed him through the chest. Blood leaked around his newly made flesh wound, a look of shock on his face. _"...W-What the...?"_

He turned his head, only to notice an upset Blake standing behind him with her hand gripping the handle. Her face was a mix of emotions, from despair to irritation. It was her fault things led up to this. Her worst nightmare was finally set into motion when she witnessed Adam driving his sword into Kiryu. 

Slowly she pulled out her half-broken blade out of her former lover's chest, only to thrust it in him once again, this time letting out a yell of anguish and frustration. Adam felt the blood gurgling in his throat, forcing him to spit it out besides where Kiryu stood, his blade dropping to the ground. In tears, Blake felt herself finally releasing all the pent-up emotions she bottled in from her battles with Adam. 

_"Fuck you, Adam... Curse you and GO TO HELL!"_

She shoved him off the bridge, staring down as his body lifelessly fell to the ocean. There was no reaction from her when his body smacked against a rock, smearing more of his blood over its surface before he fell into the waters. Only now was she truly free.

Her ears perked up when she heard Kiryu moaning in pain, his body dropping to the ground. Panic rushed over her as she saw a huge amount of blood leaking out from beneath him. "Ki... KIRYU!!" Blake cried out in shock as she dashed towards him, anxiety roaring throughout her body as she saw how severe his injury was. "D-Don't worry! I'm going to take care of this, Kiryu!"

In a desperate attempt to save his life, she began to place her hands onto his flesh wounds in hopes she could stop the leakage. Instead, his blood covered her hands, staining her jeans as she got too close to him. Those thoughts of him dying, she had to push them deep down. She didn't want to think about losing him right now, not when they had to defeat Salem. 

_"K-Kiryu! Stay with me! PLEASE!"_ Blake cried out hopelessly, wishing for him to not pass out and die right before her. The former yakuza could only grin and bear the pain as much as he could, his body growing colder by the second. 

"...B..Blake..."

 _"I-Its okay! Everything is going to be okay!"_ She smiled at him, ignoring the tears that ran down her cheeks. Kiryu knew this was too painful for her, that she was denying the expected outcome. "...Blake... go..."

Her face became surprised, slowly biting down on her lip as she shut her eyes tight to conceal the pain she was experiencing right now. _"...D-Don't say that... I... I need you, Kiryu. We all need you..."_ Her body began to shiver, sniffles escaping her as he was pushing her away. 

"Blake... I need you... to go to Mantle... all of you... need to go... so you can-" Kiryu felt a wad of blood forcing its way up his throat, making him cough to the side as his eyes grew heavy. The faunus felt a shock of pain coursing through her, seeing how he was seconds away from dying. _"N-No! You're coming with us! I swear! I-I'll... I'll drag you if I have to!"_

Finally she began to sob, unable to hold back her tears as she grabbed her lover's wrist, placing his bloodied fingers against her cheek. A hint of comfort came to her when his thumb gently caressed her skin. There was no possible way for her to smile under these circumstances. It was too cruel. Life was too cruel and selfish to take him away like this.

With lips struggling to speak, Kiryu found his eyes slowly turning to focus on Blake's. Those sweet golden eyes, filled with tears and sadness. It reminded him someone out there did care if he died one day. Someone he could trust Haruka with. "...I need you... to defeat Salem... s-so Haruka can be safe..."

 _"W-What?"_ She blinked, hearing his last request. _"I... I can't... I can't do it without you, K-Kiryu..."_

His hand slowly began to slip out of her wrist, leaving a trail of blood across her cheek and jawline. Those eyes of his finally closed, head turning to the side. No longer was the Dragon of Dojima living in Remnant. 

Her heart began to beat heavily, shaking her body back and forth slightly as she lost all train of thought. Only would a loud scream come out of the faunus as she began to hold onto Kiryu's lifeless body. His blood stained her skin and clothes, leaving the girl into a bloodied mess. 

_"WAKE UP! KIRYU PLEASE! W-WAKE UP! I NEED YOU SO PLEASE, DON'T LEAVE ME! Y-YOU PROMISED..._ _"_

Sitting up as she began to realize the horror of her new reality, Blake began to cry out into the air. She didn't care if anyone heard her, or was bothered by it. She wanted to let them know he was finally dead. 

Her cries began to wake up the unconscious Yang, who groaned when her face was kicked in earlier. The cries she heard coming from Blake, it scared her. Did something happen while she was knocked out?! "B-Blake? Blake?!" 

Sitting up as best she could, Yang's eyes widened in a moment of shock. Standing on the other end of the bridge was Akiyama and Majima, both men also holding the same expression of shock and despair. Between them was a crying faunus, mourning the loss of her love. 

"...H-Holy... shit..." Standing up slowly, Yang began to approach Blake, switching her gaze from her to Majima who was also approaching from the other side. The Mad Dog began to speed up, feeling desperation running through his veins. It was like he was waiting for the suspense to finally reach the climax. "KIRYU! KIRYU!!" 

Sliding down to the man's corpse, Majima inspected the corpse of his friend, shaky breaths coming out of him. "No... no no no no no! Kiryu! WAKE UP!" He shook the man's shoulders, winching in surprise when he felt how cold and light he was. Kiryu was dead, and it only made a him bite his lip. 

Yang took a knee besides the three, wrapping an arm around her best friend's shoulders as she cried. The Loan Shark approached the group, a look of despair on his face. 

_"Hey! Akiyama! What's the situation on your end?"_ Qrow spoke through the earpiece, unaware of the heavy answer he was about to hear. Akiyama turned his face to the side, shutting his eyes tight as he heard Blake's sobbing and Majima's sniffling. He had to be strong, he couldn't cry right now, not when those two were hurting the most. Lifting a finger to his earpiece, the Loan Shark released a shaky breath. "...W-We... lost Kiryu..."

_"What? What do you mean?!"_

"He's... He's dead... likely of b-blood lo-" He couldn't talk anymore. Dropping to his knees, Akiyama felt the urge to punch something and slammed his fist into the ground, not caring if he scratched his skin. _"Damn it..! God dammit!"_

The remaining four left standing were mourning. Yang couldn't help but to feel her lips quivering, tears running down her cheeks. _"...I'm so sorry, I wasn't nice to you and now I'll never make it up to you..."_

Majima felt his body flinching when he bit down hard enough on his lip, puncturing it to cause him to bleed. Slowly he stood up, head turning away from the scene. "...Everyone, let's go." 

Blake felt herself becoming scared, looking up at the Mad Dog. _"W-What..? No, please I don't want to leave him!"_

"Its too late, Blake. He knew the price he was going to pay, and... we have to go."

Shaking her head, the faunus grew agitated at his words. _"I DON'T CARE! I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE HIM BEHIND! HE DIED TRYING TO SAVE US!"_ She sniffled her tears, hoping to persuade her friends until they began to stand up. _"...W-Wait. Where are you guys going?"_

"We can't stay here, Blake. We have to go." Yang felt depressed knowing what they were doing was technically true to Blake's words. They were all going to leave him behind. With Akiyama walking past the faunus, he felt his ankle being grabbed tightly, an attempt to keep him here with her and Kiryu. _"P-Please, please help me take him! I don't want to leave him behind! PLEASE AKIYAMA! Please..!"_

Despite her request, he knew it was useless. He shook his head, eyes facing the waterfall. "...We can't Blake... he's gone. We have to go..." His tone was mellow yet sorrowful, knowing Kiryu wasn't going to be continuing the trip with them anymore.

Letting out a sigh, he turned around and grabbed Blake by the arm with the help of Yang. Her legs didn't want to hold her body up. They wanted to remain seated besides Kiryu's corpse. It was heartbreaking to be dragged away from his corpse, watching as he was getting farther and farther. 

_"NO! LET ME GO! PLEASE I JUST WANT TO STAY WITH HIM!"_

Her cries were enough to make Yang stop moving, forcing Akiyama to look at her. "Is this really okay?! H-He did so much and we're just _leaving_ him?!" Her words carried so much weight that it struck a chord inside the Loan Shark's chest. He felt his lips quivering before he continued to move Blake to their destination. Yang could only watch in vain, no longer helping the Loan Shark with escorting a now calm Blake who obediently followed.

The four were all mourning, with Majima leading the two in front. His back was slouched a bit, head tilted down as he didn't want anyone to see his face. Only when the sound of an aircraft waiting for them did he look up to see the rest of Ruby's group. At first she was excited, until she noticed the faunus with blood stained onto her. "Hey guys! We're finally- oh my... god what happened?!"

"..." Majima wasn't ready to answer that. None of them were. They could only look away from Ruby and the other's as they felt a strum of pain dashing across their hearts. For now, Yang helped with escorting Blake onto the aircraft, followed by Akiyama and Majima stepping onboard after everyone. The ship's door closed before it lifted into the air. The mood didn't feel right. Like no one was happy to see they were finally going to make it to Mantle. 

Qrow wasn't sure how to break the silence as they flew off into the distance. He did however, speak for everyone with his next question. "Hey... we're missing _one_ guy! Where's Kiryu?"

Jaune, Ren, Nora, all gazed at Blake while Qrow and Ruby stared at Majima, who's back was facing everyone. "Hey, I said-!"

"He's dead."

Majima's words answered the question the rest were all waiting to hear. The huntsman blinked in surprise, unsure what he just heard was correct. "...w-wait... what?"

"You heard me." The Mad Dog slowly turned his body to the group, exposing only one side with his healthy eye. "...He's gone... and its all my fault." 

Blake, having heard his words, shook her head in denial. She was feeling depressed about all this. "...No, its mine, I-"

"Everyone! We have a problem!" Maria had to interrupt their sob session and point to her radio. On it, there was a communication between Atlas infantry reporting in on the situation. _"Delta niner, we have a huge Grimm incoming. Nothing I've ever seen before. Its... Its a Leviathan!"_

Ruby felt her eyes widening, seeing how there was a new danger approaching. "Quick. We have to stop it! Maria fly us back to Argus!"

"Ruby..." Weiss felt bad for wanting to ask this, but she knew it had to be said. "...this is our chance to fly to Mantle without being detected. That's our main priority, isn't it?" She watched as her crush shook her head, a look of determination on her face. "No. We're going back and we're stopping that Grimm before it touches the city! We don't need to lose anymore lives today." Ruby turned her gaze to Blake, a frown forming as the faunus was quietly weeping against Yang.

* * *

No matter how intense things became, she couldn't shake off the pain in her chest. From stopping all the small Grimm to watching Ruby using her Silver Eyes on the Leviathan before the Colossus made its grand entry and killing the damn beast, none of it soothed her pain. 

The flight to Atlas was the first chance they had to take a moment to breathe. Blake couldn't help but to hug her knees, burying her face into them as she didn't want anyone to see her face right now. The blood on her already made her feel more like a mess than her tears could.

Qrow gazed out the window, letting out a long sigh as he untwisted the cap. "...Who would've thought this would happen?" Jaune was quick to look up, hearing the huntsman's question. "None of us did. I... don't even know if its hitting me yet, but-" His gazed turned to Akiyama and Majima, both who were leaning against the back of the ship with despaired looks on their faces. He did remember what Majima was saying before he was cut off earlier. "Hey, Majima. You said... it was your fault. Why? What makes you say that?"

"...you just had to ask, didn't ya?" He'd let out a heavy breath, his only working eye looking up towards the blonde boy. "...Its my fault because he ran off to check on Blake, and I didn't chase after him." 

The faunus looked up, having heard his words. With her arm, she'd wipe her tears away without touching the blood on her hands. "No... i-it's mine. Adam's been chasing after me and Kiryu stopped him before... its my fault this whole plan became a failure..." She'd tuck her head back into her knees, guilt taking over as she felt tears building up. A soft sniffle came out of her, making Yang hug her partner. "No its not. Adam... I don't know... but its my fault I couldn't stop hi-"

"Its nobody's fault." Qrow had to speak up, gaining everyone's attention. He had a hurtful look on his face, knowing his semblance was the main cause. "...this whole plan went to hell and we lost Kiryu because of my semblance. It brings bad luck... and now his blood is on me..."

Having heard how Blake, Majima, Yang, even Qrow were all blaming themselves, Akiyama felt frustration building up in him. He pounded against the wall, startling everyone onboard. "Bullshit. Its Shibusawa's! He sent his men after us and... Majima and I couldn't make it in time..." He gritted his teeth, tears swelling up as he gazed at everyone. "...I'll get back at that asshole. Have him understand that he belongs behind bars, never to see daylight outside of prison again!"

He'd step to the center, eyes glaring at Majima. "I know you're hurting, you blame yourself for not saving your best friend from the man that tried to kill Makoto... but you were strong enough to send a message to him that this isn't over!" 

His eyes turned to Qrow. "...and you with your bad luck. That's a load of bull. If I hadn't met you guys, I wouldn't have known about Salem, nor would have I made it out of that office alive!" 

Finally he turned to Blake and Yang. "You two did the best you could in taking down some asshole like Adam. I can't say I'm happy to see that Kiryu is dead... but we have to keep moving forward to protect Haruka!" 

Everyone seemed to look up at the Loan Shark, all gazing in surprise. Qrow stood from his seat, taken back by the man's moving words. "...Haruka?"

"Yeah... Blake told me her name when I was walking her to the airship." Akiyama swallowed an emotional gulp, remembering how Blake whispered the Dragon's last words to him. The group began to face the faunus, who was sitting there with her gaze lost on the metal flooring. Ruby stood up, curious to know who this person was. "...Blake? Do you mind telling us who Haruka is?"

She was quiet for a moment, only to pull out her scroll. She opened the gallery app before clicking on a photo of Kiryu and Haruka having a smile as they were sitting at a park togethe, having won a stuffed doll for her from the arcade. The photo itself was painful to look at, forcing Blake to shut her eyes tight as her hands shook. "...T-This is her... Kiryu's adoptive daughter..."

Already the tears began to build up in everyone's eyes. Jaune, Ren, and Nora sniffled as they finally got a first look at Kiryu's family. Qrow turned his head away, gritting his teeth after knowing how Kiryu was in a closer position to him than he could ever imagine. Raising a kid, losing people? That was all too similar to Ruby and himself. 

Majima clenched his hands tight, noticing that forced smile Kiryu had back when he lost Nishiki and Kazama. "...there's more to the photo than you think." He turned to face everyone completely, tears now running down his cheeks. "...That... was after he lost his family in a yakuza-incident. He lost his father, and his brother. Both who he grew up with in an orphanage." Sniffling his tears, the Mad Dog wiped his cheeks clean. "...So Kiryu was always tryin' his best to be strong for Haruka, especially after the Fall of Beacon..."

The sound of the scroll dropping to the floor was everyone's breaking point. Blake's sudden cry had her clenching her knees tight, unable to hold back her tears as they built up once again. _"...I miss him... I really miss him..."_

"I know... I do too..." Yang had to be strong, yet she couldn't hold back her tears as she hugged the crying faunus. Everyone was starting to feel pity for their lost comrade. Having been through so much in the yakuza, from losing friends to family, even a sworn brother, it beared too much weight on Majima. To think he was keeping up appearances for a little girl, Qrow choked out a painful sob, covering his eyes. To see how he didn't falter even after the Fall of Beacon, it left Team JNR mourning for another friend aside from Pyrrah. To see how much danger he put himself in to protect Blake, Yang felt her chest ripping apart from how weak she was compared to him. Seeing how he took down a man on fire and kept an eye on him despite their battle, it drove Akiyama's new goal.

He turned to Blake, struggling to hold back his tears. "...Tell everyone Blake. Tell us what his last words were." 

She looked up to him, vision blurry from all the crying she's been doing. Noticing how much pain everyone was in, it made Blake realize how big of an impact he had on everyone. Even Maria who couldn't cry but had an obviously sad look to her face. Death was something she knew too well.

With a heavy breath to calm herself, she looked down at her hands, seeing the blood he left behind on her. "...H-He said... to defeat Salem... so Haruka can be... safe." ANother heavy choke came out of Qrow, who for once began to actually cry in front of everyone. Ruby rushed in to hug him, knowing the man must've been moved by Kiryu's fatherly acts.

"Then that's what we'll do." Akiyama turned to everyone, a look of determination on his face, hiding the pain behind the mask. "We'll stop Salem... We'll stop Shibusawa, and anyone that comes across our way!.. so we can keep Haruka safe."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading up to the last chapter! I honestly cried while writing this. Kiryu deserves nothing but love from everyone.


End file.
